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FACT CHECK: Senate followed rules of procedure in Quiboloy case | Lorenz Pasion | 27/03/2024 17:41 | Claim: Senator Risa Hontiveros is guilty of “tactless and harsh handling” of the Senate inquiry into Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Apollo Quiboloy by asking for the immediate issuance of a warrant of arrest against the doomsday preacher.
Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook post made on March 16 has 1,100 reactions, 168 comments, and 1,500 shares as of writing.
The post was uploaded after Hontiveros called for the issuance of an arrest warrant against the KOJC leader, who had earlier been cited in contempt for failing to appear before a Senate panel investigating alleged human rights abuses committed by the preacher and his associates.
According to the post, Hontiveros mishandled the Quiboloy case, resorting to “tactless and harsh handling…by asking for the immediate issuance of an arrest warrant.”
The bottom line: The Senate can exercise its contempt power and power to arrest a witness, as provided for under the Rules of the Senate and a 2023 Supreme Court decision.
Under Section 18 of the Senate Rules of Procedure Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation, the Senate can “cite in contempt any witness before the Committee who disobeys any order of the Committee,” or “refuses to be sworn or to testify or to answer a proper question by the Committee or any of its members, or “unduly refuses to appear” before the Committee.
It added: “Such witness may be ordered by the Committee to be detained in such place as it may designate under the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms until he/she agrees to produce the required documents, or to be sworn or to testify, or otherwise purge himself/herself of that contempt.”
While the power to arrest a witness is not specified under the Senate Rules of Procedure, the Supreme Court said in a 2023 ruling on the Pharmally case that “an arrest is necessary to carry out the coercive process of compelling attendance, testimony, and production of documents relevant and material in a legislative inquiry.”
Reiterating its previous ruling in Arnault v. Nazareno, the Court said that “[e]xperience has shown that mere requests for [relevant] information are often unavailing, and also that information which is volunteered is not always accurate or complete; so some means of compulsion is essential to obtain what is needed.”
The High Court added: “The Congress is not precluded from causing the appearance of a resource person. As long as the testimony of a resource person is primordial in the Legislature’s inquiry in aid of legislation, then any House of Congress or its committees may compel, by way of an arrest, his or her appearance in the inquiry proceedings.”
Senate inquiry: The Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, chaired by Hontiveros, has jurisdiction over matters related to the welfare of women, family relations, and “equality before the law of women and men.”
Hontiveros launched the inquiry into Quiboloy, who also has an arrest warrant from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the KOJC to look into alleged cases of sexual abuse, human trafficking, and violence. (PRIMER: Investigations, cases against Apollo Quiboloy)
After Quiboloy repeatedly snubbed the hearings on January 23, February 19, and March 5, despite being subpoenaed, the panel cited Quiboloy in contempt. For his part, the KOJC pastor refused to attend what he called “bogus hearings” with “bogus witnesses.”
On March 19, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri approved the arrest order against Quiboloy for “unduly refusing to appear” before the upper chamber’s inquiry. On March 21, Hontiveros said the arrest order was on its way to Davao City.
Rappler has published several fact-checks on the Senate’s probe into Quiboloy and the KOJC:
– Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com
Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. You may also report dubious claims to the #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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Zubiri to world legislators: Stand with Philippines on sea dispute | Bonz Magsambol | 27/03/2024 12:40 | File photo of Senate President Migz Zubiri
Angie de Silva/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Addressing the International Parliamentarian Union (IPU), Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri appealed to fellow members of the global organization to stand with the Philippines as China continues to bully the country in the West Philippine Sea.
“In the West Philippine Sea, a number of geopolitical analysts have predicted that it could be a major flashpoint in the region. Let me emphasize that the Philippines has consistently adhered to international rules-based order, ensured freedom of navigation in the area and practiced restraint in dealing with the harassment and provocations of our neighbor in the north,” Zubiri said in his speech at the IPU General Debate in Geneva, Switzerland on Sunday, March 24.
“It takes a community of nations to preserve and nurture peace, thus, we appeal to the international community to support and stand firm with us in promoting freedom of navigation and adherence to international rules-based order in the West Philippine Sea,” Zubiri appealed.
The Senate President’s address before the IPU came a day after the China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday, March 23, blasted water cannons against a Philippine resupply boat that was en route to the BRP Sierra Madre, a marooned ship that is the makeshift Philippine military outpost in Ayungin Shoal.
The boat, the wooden Unaizah May 4, “sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 due to the continued blasting of water cannons from the CCG vessels,” the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a press statement on Saturday.
Zubiri urged the IPU to be “facilitators of peace” during different wars happening across the globe.
“The raging strifes that dot the world underscore the mission that we parliamentarians should pursue on behalf of mankind. And that is to mount a campaign to pause war, to stop the bloodshed, and end the suffering of innocent civilians whose lives have been disrupted, but whose hopes for peace have not been dashed, by war,” Zubiri said.
“We in the IPU have a rich heritage that inspires confidence that, if united and determined, we can, as our predecessors had done, be facilitators of peace,” he added.
In a separate statement on Wednesday, March 27, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said that she was enraged by the recent event in the West Philippine Sea.
“This is urgent. Bugbog na ang ating mga tropa sa karagatan (Our troops are getting mauled in the ocean). Let us show our troops that we are also taking concrete steps to fight for them in all diplomatic and political avenues available to us,” she said.
“To China, you should be ashamed. Stop behaving like a criminal. Have some decency. It’s not too late to act like a dignified country,” Hontiveros added.
The Philippines has sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea. It has the exclusive right to exploit and take care of resources in those areas. But China claims practically all of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, ignoring a 2016 Arbitral Ruling that deemed that claim invalid. – Rappler.com
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DOT sees Siargao Island leading Caraga’s Holy Week tourism resurgence | Herbie G | 27/03/2024 15:47 | KAWHAGAN ISLAND. A group enjoys the clear waters on Kawhagan Island, Del Carmen, Siargao Island.
Ivy Marie Mangadlao/Rappler
BUTUAN, Philippines – Travelers have begun flocking to Caraga, especially Siargao Island, to take a break ahead of the holidays and spend the remaining days of the Holy Week in the region, renowned for its islands and ecotourism.
Tourism officials anticipate a staggering increase of 599.25% in Caraga’s tourist arrivals this week alone, attributed to the religious holidays, with the world-renowned Siargao Island being the driving factor, compared to the same period in 2023.
The projection is attributed to significant improvements that have made the region’s tourism destinations more accessible to travelers, such as the increased frequency of boat trips from the mainland to the islands and direct flights from other parts of the country.
Currently, there are 12 to 14 inbound flights to Sayak Airport in Del Carmen town, Siargao, Surigao del Norte, varying by the day of the week, originating from Metro Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Davao.
In terms of sea travel, there are at least six trips daily from Surigao City to Dapa, and another two trips from there to Del Carmen in Siargao.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Caraga anticipates over 38,137 tourists in Siargao and elsewhere in the Caraga region until Easter Sunday.
During the 2023 Holy Week, the region only logged 5,454 tourists, a performance not so impressive given that the country was still recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the poor accessibility to its islands.
Based on the DOT’s projections for this week, Siargao Island’s tourist arrivals would increase by 785.56%, totaling 14,904 visitors compared to the 2023 record of 1,683 total arrivals.
Island hopping has been one of the major tourism activities in Siargao, especially in General Luna town.
DOT-Caraga Director Ivonnie Dumadag said the number of boats for tourists has been augmented by pools of boat operators from other Surigao del Norte towns not known to cater to island-hoppers.
This, according to Dumadag, was enough to accommodate the surge of tourists visiting the beaches on popular island destinations like the tri-island Daku, Naked, and Guyam.
During last year’s Holy Week, General Luna experienced a shortage of boats for island-hopping adventures, prompting former Surigao del Norte governor and now town Mayor Sol Matugas to apologize on social media.
In Del Carmen, where the famous Sugba Lagoon is located, local officials said they have strictly enforced environmental safeguards and are prepared to regulate the number of tourists visiting the town’s tourism spots if needed.
Del Carmen tourism officer Leilani Lipio said as many as 1,500 visitors were expected in the town until Maundy Thursday alone, and around 2,000 to 3,000 more were expected on Good Friday and Black Saturday.
Lipio said they have already regulated the number of tourists allowed at Sugba Lagoon to 300 at most per batch or every three hours. Afterward, the boats either return to the tourism center or proceed to the two other island destinations – Pamomoan Beach and Kawhagan Island.
Del Carmen is known for its ecotourism destinations, and its local government has been strict when it comes to environmental conservation.
Dumadag said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has been helping with enhancing security measures at local seaports and airports, managing the influx of tourists, organizing queues, and streamlining procedures to prevent extensive waiting lines.
She said the DOT also tapped local disaster risk reduction operation centers to set up calling centers and ensure that personnel are available to respond in case of emergencies.
Dumadag said much of the focus has been on Siargao Island given its stature as a major tourism draw in the region.
“The DOT regional satellite office in General Luna will remain open throughout Holy Week to monitor tourist arrivals, accommodation bookings, oversee major destinations on the island, and attend to tourists’ concerns,” she said. – Rappler.com
Ivy Marie Mangadlao is a community journalist writing for Mindanews and an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow for 2023-2024.
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DAR chief orders allocation of land to displaced Ati in Boracay | Mia Gonzalez | 27/03/2024 15:59 | FENCING OPERATION. Members of the security guards of a private company lead the fencing of the property given to the BATO tribe in Boracay which is under dispute.
Courtesy of BATO
MANILA, Philippines – Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III has ordered the allocation of government-owned land to the 44 Ati in Boracay Island who were displaced following the cancellation of a collective Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) issued by the Duterte administration, DAR said on Wednesday, March 27.
Estrella gave the order days after the Boracay Ati Tribal Organization (BATO) urged the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to intervene in the legal dispute between them and a land developer that had fenced off their property in Boracay even when the land ownership issue was supposedly still pending in court.
DAR said that according to Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Napoleon Galit, Estrella issued the directive immediately after the owners of the 1,282-square meter land in question reclaimed the property on March 26.
“DAR will extend all assistance and support services to all our agrarian reform beneficiaries, but we must uphold the law,” said Galit.
DAR said that Estrella wants the affected Ati to return to farming through the grant of agricultural land to cultivate, but did not provide additional details.
In November 2018, then-president Rodrigo Duterte gave land to BATO members through a collective CLOA.
DAR said that based on its records, private claimant Digna Elizabeth Ventura, whose property covered the 1,282 square meters of land occupied by the concerned BATO members, filed a protest on April 10, 2019, against the inclusion of her property in the 2018 CLOA.
DAR said that its Western Visayas office ordered Ventura to provide a soil analysis test regarding the suitability of the disputed land for agricultural purposes.
In 2023, Ventura presented a certification issued by the Agricultural Land Management and Evaluation Division of the Bureau of Soils, confirming that the subject land is “not suitable for agriculture,” DAR said.
Given the findings, DAR Western Visayas chief Sheila Enciso upheld the private claimant’s protest and directed her to file an application for CLOA cancellation before the Office of the DAR secretary.
Galit said that the DAR chief issued a final order of CLOA cancellation on March 5, 2024, as the 44 claimants failed to show proof that would invalidate the DA certification.
“The petitioners representing BATO were unable to present any controverting evidence that would have prompted us to overrule the DARRO’s ruling. They lacked evidence to support their claim of occupancy of the area covered by the CLOA,” said Galit.
Galit also pointed out that the filing of the motion for reconsideration by BATO was in default, DAR said.
In seeking the intervention of the CHR in their land case, BATO had claimed that the private claimant began fencing off the property in Sitio Angol, Barangay Manocmanoc in Boracay even “even “without formal court notices.”
BATO leader Delsa Justo had claimed that their appeal was still pending at the Court of Appeals.
Prior to the release of the DAR statement clarifying the legal questions raised by BATO, Daniel Dinopol , the legal counsel of Katutubong Aetas, had claimed that the dispute remained pending in the court as they “never received an order from the secretary of DAR denying our motion for reconsideration.”
“There are still remedies for the Atis,” Dinopol said. He said they will talk with the Ati community and respect their wishes on how to proceed.
In an interview with Rappler, Sister Inah Ellana of the Daughters of Charity who assists the Ati in the village, said that the private claimant “did not seek permission” from the Ati community in getting soil samples from the land for testing by the Agricultural Land Management and Evaluation Division of the Bureau of Soils. This is a requirement imposed by DAR on the claimant to support the latter’s bid for CLOA cancellation.
Ellana claimed that the land is suitable for farming, noting that the Ati successfully cultivated crops there and even supplied local hotels with their harvest.
“If hindi suitable ang lupa for farming, bakit nakakapag-supply ang mga Ati sa mga hotels dito sa Boracay? Matataba ang mga tanim nila,” she said.
(If the land is not suitable for farming, how did the Ati supply hotels here in Boracay? They had lush crops.)
Ellana also scored the “forcible entry” of security people sent by the private claimant to fence off the property, as they refused to coordinate with their office citing orders from the claimant.
They don’t want to repeat of what happened in 2013, when Ati Dexter Condez, who spent years fighting for their ancestral land in Boracay, was shot dead by a security guard after exposing this dark side of the island. – With a report from Jed Nykolle Harme/Rappler.com
Jed Nykolle Harme is a BS in Agriculture major in Soil Science student at Aklan State university, Associate editor at Eamigas Publication, and is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow for 2023-2024.
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Hope with every cup: Mindoro roastery empowers Mangyan coffee farmers | Herbie G | 27/03/2024 12:36 | COFFEE FARMING. Mangyan farmers of Oriental Mindoro with their harvested coffee cherries.
courtesy of Paul Bañas
MANILA, Philippines – A coffee roastery in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro works with the province’s indigenous coffee farmers to empower them in producing high-quality coffee cherries, making its way to be recognized as one of the Philippines’ finest single-origin coffees.
Sinag Coffee Roastery is Oriental Mindoro’s first coffee roastery and processing center, promoting coffee grounds sourced from the plantations of Mindoro’s Mangyan farmers and other coffee producers all around the Philippines.
Owners couple Paul and Ash Bañas, both 35, started as resellers of coffee products in 2014 and eventually owned a cafe in Manila, which was heavily marketed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic through online orders.
Before entering the industry, the couple were volunteer nurses deployed in the remote communities of Mindoro in 2010. Despite the success of their cafe in the Metro, they decided to go back to the island and continue serving the Mangyans through the coffee business.
Since 2018, they have been scouting out local farmers in the province to be the main suppliers of their coffee cherries.
A family of Hanunuo Mangyan farmers from the town of Bulalacao was their first source of fresh cherries harvested from 50-year-old coffee trees. They provided them with supplies of Mindoro’s Robusta and Excelsa coffee varieties.
Since then, they have been also sourcing from the coffee farmers of the Alangan tribe of Naujan and Baco, which produce Liberica, the world’s rarest type of coffee.
These coffee cherries are then processed to be green coffee beans to be roasted and sold for brewing.
According to Paul, the shop was named sinag (ray of sunlight) to represent hope for coffee farmers in reviving the local coffee business. “Pag-asa sa bawat tasa” (hope with every cup), he said, is what the roastery is aiming for to provide better opportunities for Filipino coffee farmers.
This was after the industry was challenged by lower production, climate change, and less empowerment of farmers in the coffee-making process. Instead of purchasing at lower prices, Sinag is buying coffee cherries from Mangyan farmers at a premium price or as high as the price of already-processed green coffee beans.
“We are buying the coffee with fair trade. We don’t want to aggrieve the farmers because they are the producers. We have to protect, and empower them so that the new coffee industry will continuously flourish and encourage the next generations because eventually, if they’ll be discouraged, we’ll not be having anyone to source coffee from,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English.
Advocating for better recognition of local coffee farmers, Paul, who is also among Mindoro’s first coffee processing professionals, wants to empower them by teaching proper farming practices and harvesting methods for gathering high-quality cherries.
“It’s already our responsibility if our coffees will be sold or not but we assure that the farmers who produced this coffee were paid well. So, we have to do our part in marketing the coffee in order for these farmers to expect sales every harvest season,” he said.
Sinag partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Mimaropa in launching their Mindoro Coffee on February 23. During the launch, DTI Mimaropa officer-in-charge Rodolfo Mariposque highlighted the importance of coffee-making culture in Mimaropa and the creation of a roadmap for the region’s striving coffee industry.
“DTI aims to assist the local coffee industry in the region by ensuring that the farmers, producers, and coffee drinkers participate in a cyclical (from bean to cup) culture of coffee lifestyle,” read a part of DTI’s report.
The harvest season of coffee crops in Oriental Mindoro starts every December to March when three to four harvesting batches are done.
Instead of burning the coffee beans dark, Sinag roasts these Mindoro-made coffees in light to medium heat to highlight the fruit’s original flavors.
The Robusta coffee of Bulalacao is known for its sweet, chocolatey taste and well-balanced acidity compared to its typical bitter, earthy flavor. Its natural flavors are associated with hazelnut, vanilla, dark chocolate, and almond profiles.
The Liberica of Baco has winey origin flavors of sweetened banana and a hint of jackfruit while the one from Naujan is also associated with vanilla, ripe banana, brown sugar, jackfruit, and jasmine tea.
A coffee blend of the two is also available in the roastery for both espresso and filter roasts.
Just like other varieties of specialty coffee, Paul emphasized that these flavors are brought out from Mindoro coffee by applying good quality control in all stages of the coffee-making from the farming of Mangyans to the brewing of local coffee shops. –Rappler.com
Chris Burnet Ramos is a campus journalist from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). A senior news writer for The Communicator, he is also an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow of Rappler for 2023-2024.
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7 Cebu churches for Visita Iglesia | jsitchon0312 | 27/03/2024 12:46 | CEBU CHURCH. The Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu.
Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu
CEBU, Philippines – The last week of the Lenten season is a time of meditation and sacrifice. In this period that is known as Holy Week, Cebuanos make their way to their hometowns in the province to spend time with family and to honor the Lord.
Most friends and relatives prepare the binignit, a popular Visayan dish made especially for devotees who are fasting. Others commemorate Holy Week by visiting at least seven churches.
The practice, known as Visita Iglesia (Church Visit), typically begins in the evening of Holy Thursday until Good Friday. During this time, devotees attend prayer vigils in the churches.
In the old days, some faithful would walk barefoot from one church to another while carrying a cross as an act of piety and to show one’s love for Jesus Christ who also carried the cross.
For Cebuanos looking forward to their Visita Iglesia, here is a list of Catholic churches recommended by locals for the Holy Week tradition.
The Basilica Minore del Santo Nino de Cebu, located in Cebu City, is the oldest Catholic Church in the country. It was built in 1565 and hosts the Image of the Senior Santo Niño or the Holy Child Jesus.
The Image of the Senior Santo Niño is known as the oldest religious relic in the country, brought here by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, making it more than five centuries old.
In 1973, the church was declared a National Historical Landmark and is known nationwide as the convergence center for the annual Fiesta Señor and Sinulog celebration.
The Nuestra Señora de Regla is a National Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City. It is beloved by locals for the miracles and prosperity it was said to have bestowed upon them.
The story is traced back to the city’s first parish priest, Francisco Avalle, an Augustinian friar who introduced the people of Opon (the old name of Lapu-Lapu City) tp the Virgen de la Regla or the Lady of Rule.
It is said that during World War II, residents fled to the church whenever bombs were being dropped on the island of Mactan and they would be kept safe no matter what.
Since then, Oponganons have prayed for miracles, favors, protection from evil forces, and healing from the Lady of Rule.
Located in the heart of the southwestern town of Ginatilan, the Saint Gregory the Great Parish Church has been around since the early 19th century.
Based on documents, it was formally founded on February 2, 1829 and was made into a parish on October 5, 1847. Locals describe the church as a reminder of the old world as it is completely built with coral.
Devotees flock to the church every second Sunday of March during the feast day of Saint Gregory the Great and the Hinatdan Festival which happens every second week of March.
Also known as the Santa Catalina de Alejandria Church, the Saint Catherine of Alexandria Church was founded in 1599 and completed in 1876.
Prior to its completion, it faced numerous attacks by sea pirates that pushed Spanish priests to move it from its original location in Sialo (the old name of Barangay Valladolid) to its current location in Carcar City.
On September 25, 2017, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) finished restoring the church after it was damaged by an earthquake in 2013, and installed a Level II heritage marker on the church.
The San Narciso Parish or the Consolacion Church, located in the northern coastal town of Consolacion, is known for being a “persevering” monument.
The construction of the church first began in 1863. Numerous Augustinian friars were sent to the town to manage the parish’s development but failed to complete the structure.
It was only after the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule in 1898 that the Divine Word Missionaries took over and finished building the church.
The Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Church, more commonly known as the Our Lady of Sorrows Church in the southern town of Ronda, is dedicated to the Blessed Mother.
Official church documents confirmed that the parish was founded on June 17, 1881, making it one of the youngest parish churches among municipalities in Cebu.
Based on an excerpt from Balaanong Bahandi: Sacred Treasures of the Archdiocese of Cebu by Louella Alix, the church was originally made with wood and cogon roofing but was replaced with a stronger, reinforced structure sometime in the 20th century.
Built by the Marian Monks of Eucharistic Adoration (MMEA) around 1998 in Sibonga town, the church is a well-known pilgrimage site due to its castle-like features.
Immediately upon entering, you will find a huge replica of the Image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a grand view of the pond surrounded by greenery.
Most devotees visit the castle church to write letters to the Blessed Virgin Mary and visit her image, which many testimonies have alleged, shed tears of blood. – Rappler.com
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Bishop’s last-minute opposition casts shadow over Negros Island Region revival | Herbie G | 27/03/2024 11:37 | LAST-MINUTE OPPOSITION. Dumaguete Bishop Julito Cortes surprises local proponents of the Negros Island Region revival by expressing his opposition to the measure on March 24, 2024.
Diocese of Dumaguete FB page
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – In what appears as a last-minute twist, efforts to revive the Negros Island Region (NIR) through a law faced an unexpected opposition from Dumaguete Bishop Julito Cortes, who called the measure passed by Congress as an “insult” to the people of Negros Oriental.
Despite political optimism, Cortes’ late opposition has injected uncertainty into the NIR’s future, sparking a debate and legal scrutiny as it approaches the final stages of becoming law.
On Sunday, March 24, Cortes said the Congress-approved NIR was an “insult to the people” of Negros Oriental, a pronouncement that rattled its local proponents. The bishop did not elaborate, and neither did he say exactly why he was opposed to the measure.
Cortes said an opposition movement against NIR is snowballing, and hinted at a forthcoming position paper.
The House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 7355 in March 2023, while the Senate approved its version, Senate Bill No. 2507, on March 12, this year. The legislative measure, which is awaiting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signature or veto, aims to create a new region out of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, including several cities.
The Human Rights Advocates in Negros (HRAN) have rallied behind Cortes, emphasizing the necessity for government officials to heed local concerns.
HRAN criticized proponents of the NIR measure and legislators for lack of on-the-ground hearings and consultations, saying they went against democratic processes.
The assassinated Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, who opposed the proposal, had cited language barriers as a significant challenge in reviving NIR, with Hiligaynon predominant in Negros Occidental and Cebuano in Negros Oriental.
Negros political analyst and lawyer Joemax Ortiz said the bishop’s opposition could lead to potential legal battles that could reach all the way to the Supreme Court.
Ortiz drew parallels to the nullification of a similar regional division in 1986 due to civil society activism. The NIR was also created based on an executive order by the late president Benigno Aquino III, only to be taken back by his successor, Rodrigo Duterte, due to budgetary constraints.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson questioned the timing of Cortes’ pronouncements, noting that those opposed to the Lower House’s and Senate bills did not make their positions known when Congress was still deliberating on the proposed measures.
Lacson and other prominent political leaders in Western Visayas, such as Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, favor the creation of the NIR, and see it as beneficial for Negrenses.
Mayor Treñas said a Negros Island Region promises a potential for development and increased contributions to national growth. – Rappler.com
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PH gears up for 32-team 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship solo host gig | jisaga0269 | 26/03/2024 19:24 | HIT. Philippines’ Bryan Bagunas attacks against Indonesia as Marck Espejo looks on.
PNVF
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is preparing for one of its biggest sporting events yet after it won solo bidding rights for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in September 2025 – the country’s first-ever hosting of the sport at the world level.
Essentially the equivalent of the World Cup in basketball and football, next year’s World Championship will feature the 32 best teams in the globe to compete for ultimate volleyball supremacy, and the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) is pulling out all stops for the huge task at hand.
“In hosting world events, we are really ready already. This is the first time the Philippines will host a single hosting. The FIBA [World Cup] was co-hosted by Japan and Indonesia with a 16-8-8 [country split]. We now have 32, and the last World Championships in Poland only had 24,” said PNVF chief Tats Suzara.
“We now have 32 teams, including the Philippines, so we need to be global now. Hosting this World Championship for the first time is really good for the sport of volleyball and good for the fans.”
Locked in a fierce final bidding battle with Japan and Indonesia, the Philippines reportedly gained the edge it needed, per Suzara, with its current three-year hosting streak of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) since 2022.
“Filipino fans are different, and the FIVB noticed. You see [them watch] Japan, which is very popular here, and Poland. This time the USA is coming in the VNL. Filipino fans are different,” Suzara continued. “I think that’s one important aspect that we won the bid, so they really selected the Philippines.”
Now the heavy work begins for the PNVF, which has about a year and a half to iron out its preparations, both in terms of the national team and the hosting itself.
Former VNL venues Mall of Asia Arena and Araneta Coliseum will house the World Championship games, with MOA being the main venue for the elimination round and finals.
“It shows that volleyball is very active in our country with lots of supporters and stakeholders,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. “Now it’s another opportunity to showcase our country through sports.”
Comprising the Philippine coaching staff who will assemble the best team possible for 2025 are head coach Sergio Veloso, assistant coach Odjie Mamon, and the returning Dante Alinsunurin, who will likely aid Veloso as the main deputy.
“The timeline that we are preparing for the team is starting next month once the Spikers’ Turf tournament is completed, then the team will start. Of course, this is a big pool of players that we need to select,” Suzara said.
“We have one year and a half, and part of the agreement of FIVB is to bring our team to more competitions. As you know, we have improved our ranking, from 117 last year to 56 in the world now. Hopefully, we can be No. 32 or No. 20+ next year in the World Championship.”
Ideally, the national team members will be chosen around September 2024, as the PNVF will also hold a “one-year countdown tournament” featuring at least three Japanese teams to play against the Philippines’ best.
Players to watch out for in this newest iteration of the national team are the likes of Marck Espejo, Bryan Bagunas, Jau Umandal, and returning star setter Owa Retamar.
Head coach Veloso insisted, however, that he would not play favorites, and everyone in the pool will have an equal shot at making the World Championship roster. – Rappler.com
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#KomyuterDiaries: Traveling from different parts of Metro Manila | pfkahanap0307 | 27/03/2024 11:11 | MANILA, Philippines — Over the years, millions of Filipinos have struggled with commuting to, from, and within the country’s capital region.
But two Filipinos coming from different parts of Metro Manila, despite going to the same destination at the same time, can have varying commute experiences.
Rappler digital communications specialists Ivy Pedida and Patricia Kahanap went on a not-so-amazing race to the Rappler office in Pasig City coming from the northern and southern parts of Metro Manila, respectively.
This is the first episode of Komyuter Diaries, a series of videos highlighting the endeavors of commuters in a car-centric place like Metro Manila.
Komyuter Diaries is a part of Make Manila Liveable, a project created by Rappler and civil society groups pushing for liveability in cities. Learn more about the movement here. – Rappler.com
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LIST: April 2024 special non-working days in PH provinces, cities, towns | Miriam Grace Go | 26/03/2024 20:09 | Pangasinan image from provincial government; Antipolo and Mountain Province images from Shutterstock
MANILA, Philippines – This is a compilation of special non-working days in various localities in the Philippines for April 2024, as proclaimed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Bookmark this page for possible additional announcements from Malacañang. – Rappler.com
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Rappler Talk: Leila de Lima, a woman of faith | Paterno Esmaquel II | 28/03/2024 19:30 | Bookmark and refresh this page to watch this Holy Week episode of Rappler Talk at 8 pm (Manila time) on Maundy Thursday, March 28
MANILA, Philippines – She lost her freedom but found her faith.
In this Holy Week episode of Rappler Talk, former senator Leila de Lima opens up about her relationship with God which, in her words, became “intense” when she was detained for six years, eight months, and 21 days.
How did her time in jail strengthen her faith?
What are her views on forgiveness and revenge? In previous interviews, De Lima said she has not forgiven her “chief oppressor,” Rodrigo Duterte, but she is praying for the grace to be able to forgive the former president. What does she mean? And why does De Lima, vilified as a senator and as a woman during Duterte’s presidency, see the need to forgive?
De Lima also talks about the five cats, out of around 20, whom she brought home from her detention facility – Avatar, Doll, Lily, Otto, and Duchess – as well as two new kittens, Shogun and Golda. In this Rappler Talk interview, recorded on March 22, the former senator says she believes God sent these animals not only to keep her company, but also to make her “more human.”
Watch De Lima’s interview with Rappler senior multimedia reporter Paterno Esmaquel II, at 8 pm (Manila time) on Maundy Thursday, March 28. – Rappler.com
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MVP Carlos erupts for PVL local-high 38 in Creamline 5-set stunner over Cignal | jisaga0269 | 26/03/2024 22:58 | THE BEST. Creamline spiker Tots Carlos attempts an attack over the Cignal defense in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
PVL Images
MANILA, Philippines – From two sets and four match points down, Creamline displayed the heart of a mighty champion and completed a stunning five-set reversal of gutsy Cignal, 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14, on Tuesday, March 26, to cap off the pre-Holy Week PVL stretch.
Three-time MVP Tots Carlos, just a month removed from a career-high 31-point effort, blasted the record books with a new high-water mark of 38 points off 35 attacks and 3 blocks as the defending champion Cool Smashers took a 6-1 solo standings lead in the 2024 All-Filipino Conference.
Kyle Negrito orchestrated the comeback offense with 35 excellent sets while former MVP Jema Galanza scored 14 to go with 30 of Creamline’s staggering 100 excellent digs.
“I’m grateful that there’s an opportunity like this, but we keep on repeating that no matter who reaches 38 points, or 55, we have no problem as long as we win. Our number one priority is the team,” said Carlos, who is now the PVL’s No. 2 single-game scorer after import Priscilla Rivera’s 44 for Akari.
“If Jema hit 55, that’s no problem, we’re all happy. Honestly, we just follow coach and we just enjoy when we play.”
Veteran hitter Jovelyn Gonzaga went down swinging in the heartbreaking loss with 22 points, 21 excellent digs, and 16 excellent receptions as Cignal dropped to a 4-2 slate.
Former MVP Ces Molina and Rose Doria each scored 19, while Dawn Macandili-Catindig tallied 33 excellent digs.
Meanwhile, Chery Tiggo pushed its winning streak to three straight for a 5-2 record as it bucked a first-set loss to Nxled to win in four, 23-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-20.
Former PVL MVP Mylene Paat had her best game of the conference with a team-high 15 points, while Eya Laure scored 12 with a game-high 4 blocks. Surging setter Alina Bicar tallied 17 excellent sets and 13 excellent digs as Jen Nierva shored up the defense with 20 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions.
Lastly, Petro Gazz kept pace of the league leaders at 5-2 with a dominant bounce-back win at upstart Capital1’s expense, 25-11, 25-19, 25-14, as Brooke Van Sickle led the way with 19 points. – Rappler.com
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IP women lead the way in Davao forest protection, conservation | Herbie G | 27/03/2024 10:06 | KEEPING WATCH. A forest guard points to a bird perched on a nearby tree while taking a break with Annalou Anto after hours of patrolling inside a forest in Barangay Sibulan.
Ivy Marie Mangadlao/Rappler
DAVAO, Philippines – In the rugged landscapes of Davao City, Analou Anto, a 34-year-old indigenous woman from Barangay Sibulan, Toril District, navigates the dense forests fraught with peril – from the formidable presence of wildlife to the precarious terrain and the looming threat of illegal logging.
For about four years, Anto has been leading a male-dominated group, known as “Bantay Bukid” (forest watch), through the depths of their ancestral lands, undeterred by the challenges to safeguard their natural treasures.
“Going into the forest is challenging and risky. Dangers lurk everywhere – from wild animals to treacherous terrain, added by unpredictable weather and threats from illegal loggers,” said Anto, a member of the Bagobo Tagabawa tribe.
Each month, her team renders 10 days to patrolling a strictly protected zone, a delineated area within their 4,000-hectare ancestral domain located at the Mount Apo Key Biodiversity Area which houses the oldest sanctuary of the critically endangered Philippine eagle, as well as the Sibulan River. The river is one of Davao’s eight watersheds that provide potable water to about 1.7 million residents.
Anto’s routine involves getting up at dawn to do household chores and getting her only daughter ready for school. Then, she hops on her motorcycle for an hour-long drive to meet up with 14 other forest guards at the drop-off point to start their patrol.
Clad in rubber boots, they assemble before starting their trek through steep, mountainous terrain. But their actual work doesn’t start right away. From the drop-off point, they have to trek for another two hours to get to their patrol area.
In the wilderness, they perform various tasks – they document endemic wildlife and plant species, search for signs of poaching and logging, and track evidence of deforestation which they report to government authorities.
The group also manages nurseries, replants trees by the thousands, and performs community services.
Anto said she became a forest guard in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions, redirecting from her previous job as a maid abroad. Her leadership skills quickly earned her the role of team leader among the forest guards in Salaysay, where she stands as one of only three women in the cohort.
“We’ve never felt being underestimated in the group just because we’re women. They’ve never seen us as a burden at work. And as the team leader, it empowers me to know that the leadership I offer and my voice matter to them,” she said.
Balancing motherhood and forest guarding can be tough, but the single mother sees both roles as having the same duty: caring for nature as she would for her child.
On her regular days, Anto sells merchandise online and makes native coffee for sale. She also buys vegetables from her friend’s farm and resells them at retail prices to the neighborhood.
She said the income from selling goods sometimes falls short of meeting the family’s needs.
As a single mother, she views the honorarium she receives as a form of “women empowerment” as it helps her earn additional income to support herself and her daughter.
Each Sibulan forest guard receives a monthly honorarium of P3,500 for every 10 days of patrol work.
In Barangay Salaysay in the Marilog District, home to the Obu Manuvu tribe, another indigenous woman leads the group of forest guards.
Mabel Monkal, 32, is not only handling secretarial duties but also stepping up to lead patrols into the deepest parts of the forest.
Her colleagues often describe her as an “iron lady” for fearlessly confronting encroachers and illegal loggers.
When she joined the forest guards in 2021, there were only three women among the 28 members. Now, there are seven of them.
“We walk 18 kilometers, which takes about four hours. Sometimes we have to cross rivers and get wet. There are times we encounter storms, and get into accidents like falling into the cliff,” Monkal said.
Monkal and the other forest guards protect Mounts Makabol-Alikoson Conservation Area (MMACA), an 8,819-hectare conservation area crucial for the livelihoods of over 6,000 residents of Salaysay.
According to the Sustainable Davao Movement, MMACA is home to an ancient nesting site of a Philippine eagle pair, which has raised at least a dozen eagles since 1986. It also hosts other threatened wildlife species and around 40 bird species.
Monkal explained that MMACA overlaps with their ancestral domain, where endangered wildlife and habitats are sanctified as pusaka. For the Obu Manuvu, pusaka embodies the philosophy of securing cherished cultural items, animals, and lands as sacred and very important.
To protect these sacred lands, forest guards endure the hardships of patrolling the mountains, facing threats from encroachers and illegal loggers.
Despite the threats, Monkal said it’s the rampant illegal logging that fuels her passion to continue forest guarding.
In 2021, Monkal and her fellow forest guards uncovered the cutting of century-old trees in the MMACA by a landowner with a Private Land Timber Permit (PLTP) issued by the Department of Natural Resources-Davao (DENR). It allowed them to cut 121 century-old trees to pave the way for land development.
Their report triggered protests from environmental groups and an online campaign, urging the DENR to cancel the permit to protect MMACA.
Due to pressure from petitions, the DENR-Davao announced on December 9, 2021, that the landowner had voluntarily ceased tree cutting and promised to issue a suspension order for the PLTP. However, no formal suspension order was issued, and the tree cutting only stopped because the permit expired on December 18, 2021.
Environmental groups in Davao City, such as the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), believe that if it weren’t for the report from the forest guards of Salaysay, the impact of devastation would have been even greater.
PEF collaborates with indigenous communities who live in the forest home of the Philippine eagle, as part of their culture-based conservation program.
Jayson Ibañez, director for operations at PEF, emphasized the importance of inclusivity in conservation, noting that “women, with their caring nature, excel in nature-based work and conflict resolution.”
“We see that they demonstrate competence in various tasks, from patrols to nursery management. We’re very happy about their involvement, affirming our belief that forest guarding is not only for men but equally for women,” Ibañez said.
Both Anto and Monkal said they believe that there’s much more to be done in making conservation efforts inclusive, and they hope that by sharing their stories of indigenous women leading the way, more will join their ranks.
“Nurturing and caring for our environment isn’t solely the responsibility of one gender – it’s our collective obligation,” Anto said. –Rappler.com
Ivy Marie Mangadlao is a community journalist writing for Mindanews and an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow for 2023-2024. This article was written with the support of Oxfam Pilipinas.
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ properties in LA and Miami raided by federal agents | Victor Barreiro Jr. | 26/03/2024 10:00 | 'DIDDY' COMBS RAID. A law enforcement officer keeps watch outside a property connected to hip-hop star Sean "Diddy" Combs after US Department of Homeland Security agents opened an investigation, in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA March 25, 2024.
Carlin Stiehl/Reuters
LOS ANGELES, USA – US Department of Homeland Security agents have opened an investigation of hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs, searching his properties in Los Angeles and the Miami area, agency officials said on Monday, March 25.
The inquiry was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in New York, where a lawsuit was filed against Combs by a former girlfriend in federal court in November accusing him of engaging in sex trafficking.
Combs, 54, has said that he is innocent and that his accusers were seeking “a quick payday.” His New York-based lawyer, Ben Brafman, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Television stations in Los Angeles carried aerial video footage showing HSI agents and other law enforcement authorities raiding Combs’ lavish estate in the city’s upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood.
Los Angeles City News Service reported several people were detained outside the home but it was unclear whether any arrests were made.
Local news outlets reported that federal authorities also executed a search warrant at the rap mogul’s Miami-area home. Reuters footage showed officers going in and out of his property on Miami Beach’s Star Island, with agents seen carrying a box of material from the home.
Combs’ whereabouts during the raids were not known.
HSI spokespersons, responding to a Reuters query, said: “Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”
The statement did not elaborate on the nature of the investigation. HSI has broad jurisdiction to investigate the illegal movement of people, goods, money, technology and contraband into, out of and throughout the United States, including sex trafficking.
R&B vocalist Cassandra Ventura sued Combs in federal court in Manhattan in mid-November, accusing him of subjecting her to physical abuse, sexual slavery and rape during a 10-year professional and romantic relationship.
One of the central allegations of Ventura’s suit was that Combs forced her to engage in sex acts with male prostitutes he hired while he watched and filmed the encounters.
The lawsuit cited violations of sex trafficking and human trafficking statutes under federal, New York and California laws.
Ventura and Combs, who has used such monikers as P. Diddy, Puff Daddy and Diddy, announced the next day they had settled the case under confidential terms.
Brafman, said at the time that the settlement was “in no way an admission of wrongdoing” and that his client maintained his “flat-out denial” of Ventura’s claims.
Ventura’s lawsuit was one of at least four civil complaints in recent months leveling sexual assault allegations against Combs.
In December, in response to the latest civil complaint, which accused him of taking part in the gang rape of a teenager that he arranged to fly from Detroit to New York 20 years ago, Combs issued a statement denying all the allegations as fabrications by people seeking money.
Combs, founder of the landmark label Bad Boy Records, is one of the most influential producers and executives in hip-hop and a hugely successful performer, as well as the impresario of his own Sean John clothing line. – Rappler.com
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Cebu officials secure NCCA commitment for return of ‘stolen’ heritage church panels | Herbie G | 27/03/2024 6:40 | MEETING. Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia (center) engages in discussions with National Commission for Culture and the Arts Chairman Victorino Mapa Manalo during a meeting at the Cebu capitol on March 13, 2024. Also present are (from left) Cultural Properties Protection and Regulation Division Chief Joseph Patrick Lee, Dr. Jose Eleazar Bersales, and Commissioner Ivan Henares.
Max Limpag/Rappler
CEBU, Philippines – The old pulpit panels taken from the heritage church of Boljoon in Cebu will be returned, according to separate assurances provided to town officials and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia by heritage officials.
The assurance comes as heritage conservationists, church leaders, and local government officials continue to work towards the return of the church antiques.
The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) has scheduled a meeting in mid-April with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma to discuss the issue of the four panels that the church claims were stolen from the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in the 1980s.
The panels, believed lost for decades, emerged as a donation to the NMP in February by collector couple Edwin and Aileen Bautista.
In March, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairman Ino Manalo, Commissioner for Cultural Heritage Ivan Henares, and Cultural Properties Protection and Regulation Division Chief Joseph Patrick Lee visited Boljoon to engage with town officials. Later, they met with Governor Garcia on March 13.
During the Capitol meeting, Dr. Jose Eleazar Bersales, the provincial government’s consultant on museums and heritage, informed Garcia of a commitment to return the panels.
Ino, however, told Garcia that “it is the National Museum that will make the final decision.”
Henares said they were looking into the legalities of the issue, as a deed of donation transferred the panels to the NMP. He emphasized that the NMP is bound by this document, which provides that the panels should remain with the NMP.
Lawyer Ben Cabrido Jr., a capitol consultant, earlier said the NMP could secure a waiver from the donor regarding the restriction to avoid violating the terms of the deed.
Henares stressed the need to investigate the circumstances surrounding the panels’ removal from the church, suggesting an inventory of all the items lost.
A former parish priest of Boljoon was accused of qualified theft and estafa in the late 1970s and early 1980s, although it was unrelated to the loss of the church antiques.
“We can include it in the Philippine Registry of Heritage because they were asking us why there was no due diligence or they did not do research before acquiring the panels. But you have to remember that none of the church items have ever been reported officially as stolen in any of our registries. So I think that this is a good first step,” Henares said.
He anticipated the case setting a precedent affecting collectors in the country.
Garcia, meanwhile, reiterated her stance that the panels were stolen, emphasizing the need for a clear policy regarding church artifacts.
“Obviously, it was stolen because it belongs to the church. So any stolen item, even though years have passed and these were eventually officially donated, is still stolen,” Garcia said.
She said that unlike artifacts found during archeological diggings, the church panels are church property.
Garcia said she told NMP Chairman Andoni Aboitiz during his visit to the capitol on February 27 that the situation provided an opportunity for the country to put in place a clear-cut policy regarding items or artifacts belonging to churches.
Garcia said the NMP can retain the heritage items temporarily only if the church cannot safeguard them. However, she pointed out that Boljoon boasts a local museum and a passionate community dedicated to heritage preservation, therefore, the old pulpit panels should “rightfully be returned to the church.”
Manalo, for his part, emphasized the need to rebuild trust. He told Garcia that they went to Boljoon and listened to the sentiments of people, including the town’s mayor, Joie Genesse Derama, who expressed their frustrations and kept on saying, “Gikawatan mi (We were robbed).”
Of the six panels that once adorned the pulpit of Boljoon’s heritage church, four are currently with the NMP, one is displayed at the parish museum, and one remains unaccounted for.
Archbishop Palma has described the panels not as art but as sacred objects, suggesting they were lost during the tenure of then-parish priest Faustino Cortes. – Rappler.com
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China causes ‘heavy damage’ on Philippine resupply ship in Ayungin Shoal – AFP | Bea Cupin | 23/03/2024 10:44 | WATER CANNON. A China Coast Guard ship uses a water cannon against the Unaizah May 4, a wooden boat contracted by the Philippine military to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, on March 23, 2024.
Screengrab from Armed Forces of the Philippines video
MANILA, Philippines – The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday, March 23, used water cannons against a Philippine resupply boat that was en route to the BRP Sierra Madre, a makeshift Philippine military outpost in Ayungin Shoal, the Philippine military said.
The boat, the wooden Unaizah May 4, “sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 due to the continued blasting of water cannons from the CCG vessels,” the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a press statement on Saturday.
Videos from the AFP suggest China used water cannons against the much-smaller Unaizah May 4 beginning 7:59 am, during a routine rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to the Sierra Madre, a World War II ship purposefully run aground in 1999 in Ayungin Shoal.
Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal is a feature in the South China Sea that is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), an area Manila calls the West Philippine Sea.
Before the China Coast Guard started using water cannons on the Unaizah May 4, the PCG’s BRP Cabra, a vessel assigned to escort the supply vessel, was “impeded and encircled” by a China Coast Guard vessel and two Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) ships, the AFP said.
The CMM is a fishing fleet that China uses in the West Philippine Sea to augment its coast guard forces.
The AFP said that early as 6:08 am, a China Coast Guard ship had already performed a “dangerous maneuver” by crossing the bow of the Unaizah May 4.
An hour later, at around 7:09 am, video from the AFP shows a China Coast Guard ship sailing in reverse in an attempt to block the Unaizah May 4. The AFP said this caused a “near collision.”
While the Unaizah May 4 was unable to continue its mission because of “severe damage” from the direct blast of water cannons, the Philippines was still able to bring personnel and essential cargo to the Sierra Madre.
The AFP said six Navy personnel and cargo were transferred from the Unaizah May 4 and the BRP Cabra to a rigid-hulled inflatable boat deployed by the BRP Sierra Madre.
“They arrived and moored at the starboard side of LS57 at 11:59 am,” said the AFP.
The military also noted that a Chinese Maritime Militia boat, with the help of Chinese rigid-hulled inflatable boat, “deployed and installed floating barriers to prevent further entry of any vessels in the shoal.”
National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said in a statement that some personnel were injured and were given medical attention once moved to the Philippine Coast Guard vessel.
“The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) latest acts of unprovoked aggression, coercion, and dangerous maneuvers against a legitimate and routine Philippine RoRe mission to Ayungin Shoal, have once again placed at risk, caused severe damage to property, and caused physical harm to Filipinos on board UM4,” the NTF-WPS said.
The NTF-WPS said that “the systematic and consistent manner in which the PRC continues to carry out these illegal and irresponsible actions belies its hollow claims to peace, dialogue, and adherence to international law.”
The NTF-WPS said that National Security Adviser Eduardo Año has requested a meeting on Monday, March 25, with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and the National Security Cluster “for purposes of making recommendations to the President” in relation to the latest incident.
“The actions of the agents of the PRC today in the waters of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) show to the Filipino people, the region, and the world that the PRC recognizes no reasonable or legal restraint nor limitation upon its actions under international law,” the task force said.
“The Philippines will not be deterred – by veiled threats or hostility – from exercising our legal rights over our maritime zones, including Ayungin Shoal which forms part of our EEZ and continental shelf. We demand that China demonstrate in deeds and not in words that it is a responsible and trustworthy member of the international community,” it added.
The NTF-WPS said that the Philippines “shall continue to act peacefully and responsibly, consistent with international law, particularly UNCLOS and the legally binding 2016 Arbitral Award.”
“Peace and stability cannot be achieved without due regard for the legitimate, well-established, and legally settled rights of others,” it added.
Gan Yu, a spokesperson for China’s coast guard, said the Philippines broke a promise to remove the grounded vessel and sent two coast guard ships and a supply ship into the Second Thomas Shoal waters, 18 days after the last round of supplies.
China has not said who promised the removal or when that promise was made. The Philippines’ defense ministry, foreign ministry and military leaders have repeatedly said there was no such promise.
On Saturday, Gan said, the Philippines infringed and provoked trouble, and deliberately undermined the peace and stability of the South China Sea.
The Philippine vessels ignored China’s repeated warnings and route controls and forced their way in, he said. The China coast guard implements regulations in accordance with laws, and handles matters in a reasonable, legal, and professional manner, Gan said.
In August 2023, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. refuted China’s claim that the Philippine government had agreed to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, and if any had been made, he was rescinding it.
National Security Council Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya had earlier called China’s assertion a “figment of their imagination.”
The Philippines has sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea – meaning it has the exclusive right to exploit and take care of resources in those areas. But China claims practically all of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, ignoring a 2016 Arbitral Ruling that deemed that claim invalid.
For the first time since launching its “transparency initiative” in the West Philippine Sea – an effort to expose Chinese activities in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone – both the Philippine Coast Guard and the AFP released to the media near real-time updates and video of the mission.
Past midnight on March 23, the AFP announced that the Unaizah May 4 was again tapped to “complete its mission to sustain Philippine troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre.” The boat, a civilian ship that the Navy contracts to bring supplies and troops to the Sierra Madre, was subject to the water cannons of two China Coast Guard ships during a mission earlier in March.
The impact from the water cannons shattered the wind shield of the Unaizah May 4, injuring four Navy personnel.
The AFP also announced that two Philippine Navy ships, on top of the usual Philippine Coast Guard vessel, would escort the Unaizah May 4.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines emphasizes that the mission is a routine operation aimed at sustaining and rotating military personnel at Ayungin Shoal. This particular mission was set up to ensure a full troop complement on board BRP Sierra Madre after one personnel needing serious medical attention was recently evacuated. Personnel are being rotated in to ensure that BRP Sierra Madre’s mission posture remains uncompromised,” said the AFP in its statement ahead of the mission.
Foreign governments expressed concern about China’s latest actions in the West Philippine Sea, and reiterated their solidarity with the Philippines. – With a report from Reuters/Rappler.com
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Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines.
Dialog is useless when China’s story is the exact opposite as to what we see on video. That type of blatant lying cannot be negotiated with.
What will the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) recommend to President Marcos Jr. after the March 23, 2024 incident? Another dialog? Until when will dialogs end? Until the CCG water cannon will kill a Philippine Navy personnel?
How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/philippines/china-water-cannon-ayungin-shoal-march-23-2024/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1W89iZzYoZaYuhOl9MXf5GrZcWt3g2S7PI7lORUyQjiOwdXFTM0VsjXGk_aem_v4neW4hRy0zK813atIhg8Q |
China causes ‘heavy damage’ on Philippine resupply ship in Ayungin Shoal – AFP | Bea Cupin | 23/03/2024 10:44 | WATER CANNON. A China Coast Guard ship uses a water cannon against the Unaizah May 4, a wooden boat contracted by the Philippine military to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, on March 23, 2024.
Screengrab from Armed Forces of the Philippines video
MANILA, Philippines – The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday, March 23, used water cannons against a Philippine resupply boat that was en route to the BRP Sierra Madre, a makeshift Philippine military outpost in Ayungin Shoal, the Philippine military said.
The boat, the wooden Unaizah May 4, “sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 due to the continued blasting of water cannons from the CCG vessels,” the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a press statement on Saturday.
Videos from the AFP suggest China used water cannons against the much-smaller Unaizah May 4 beginning 7:59 am, during a routine rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to the Sierra Madre, a World War II ship purposefully run aground in 1999 in Ayungin Shoal.
Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal is a feature in the South China Sea that is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), an area Manila calls the West Philippine Sea.
Before the China Coast Guard started using water cannons on the Unaizah May 4, the PCG’s BRP Cabra, a vessel assigned to escort the supply vessel, was “impeded and encircled” by a China Coast Guard vessel and two Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) ships, the AFP said.
The CMM is a fishing fleet that China uses in the West Philippine Sea to augment its coast guard forces.
The AFP said that early as 6:08 am, a China Coast Guard ship had already performed a “dangerous maneuver” by crossing the bow of the Unaizah May 4.
An hour later, at around 7:09 am, video from the AFP shows a China Coast Guard ship sailing in reverse in an attempt to block the Unaizah May 4. The AFP said this caused a “near collision.”
While the Unaizah May 4 was unable to continue its mission because of “severe damage” from the direct blast of water cannons, the Philippines was still able to bring personnel and essential cargo to the Sierra Madre.
The AFP said six Navy personnel and cargo were transferred from the Unaizah May 4 and the BRP Cabra to a rigid-hulled inflatable boat deployed by the BRP Sierra Madre.
“They arrived and moored at the starboard side of LS57 at 11:59 am,” said the AFP.
The military also noted that a Chinese Maritime Militia boat, with the help of Chinese rigid-hulled inflatable boat, “deployed and installed floating barriers to prevent further entry of any vessels in the shoal.”
National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said in a statement that some personnel were injured and were given medical attention once moved to the Philippine Coast Guard vessel.
“The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) latest acts of unprovoked aggression, coercion, and dangerous maneuvers against a legitimate and routine Philippine RoRe mission to Ayungin Shoal, have once again placed at risk, caused severe damage to property, and caused physical harm to Filipinos on board UM4,” the NTF-WPS said.
The NTF-WPS said that “the systematic and consistent manner in which the PRC continues to carry out these illegal and irresponsible actions belies its hollow claims to peace, dialogue, and adherence to international law.”
The NTF-WPS said that National Security Adviser Eduardo Año has requested a meeting on Monday, March 25, with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and the National Security Cluster “for purposes of making recommendations to the President” in relation to the latest incident.
“The actions of the agents of the PRC today in the waters of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) show to the Filipino people, the region, and the world that the PRC recognizes no reasonable or legal restraint nor limitation upon its actions under international law,” the task force said.
“The Philippines will not be deterred – by veiled threats or hostility – from exercising our legal rights over our maritime zones, including Ayungin Shoal which forms part of our EEZ and continental shelf. We demand that China demonstrate in deeds and not in words that it is a responsible and trustworthy member of the international community,” it added.
The NTF-WPS said that the Philippines “shall continue to act peacefully and responsibly, consistent with international law, particularly UNCLOS and the legally binding 2016 Arbitral Award.”
“Peace and stability cannot be achieved without due regard for the legitimate, well-established, and legally settled rights of others,” it added.
Gan Yu, a spokesperson for China’s coast guard, said the Philippines broke a promise to remove the grounded vessel and sent two coast guard ships and a supply ship into the Second Thomas Shoal waters, 18 days after the last round of supplies.
China has not said who promised the removal or when that promise was made. The Philippines’ defense ministry, foreign ministry and military leaders have repeatedly said there was no such promise.
On Saturday, Gan said, the Philippines infringed and provoked trouble, and deliberately undermined the peace and stability of the South China Sea.
The Philippine vessels ignored China’s repeated warnings and route controls and forced their way in, he said. The China coast guard implements regulations in accordance with laws, and handles matters in a reasonable, legal, and professional manner, Gan said.
In August 2023, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. refuted China’s claim that the Philippine government had agreed to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, and if any had been made, he was rescinding it.
National Security Council Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya had earlier called China’s assertion a “figment of their imagination.”
The Philippines has sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea – meaning it has the exclusive right to exploit and take care of resources in those areas. But China claims practically all of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, ignoring a 2016 Arbitral Ruling that deemed that claim invalid.
For the first time since launching its “transparency initiative” in the West Philippine Sea – an effort to expose Chinese activities in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone – both the Philippine Coast Guard and the AFP released to the media near real-time updates and video of the mission.
Past midnight on March 23, the AFP announced that the Unaizah May 4 was again tapped to “complete its mission to sustain Philippine troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre.” The boat, a civilian ship that the Navy contracts to bring supplies and troops to the Sierra Madre, was subject to the water cannons of two China Coast Guard ships during a mission earlier in March.
The impact from the water cannons shattered the wind shield of the Unaizah May 4, injuring four Navy personnel.
The AFP also announced that two Philippine Navy ships, on top of the usual Philippine Coast Guard vessel, would escort the Unaizah May 4.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines emphasizes that the mission is a routine operation aimed at sustaining and rotating military personnel at Ayungin Shoal. This particular mission was set up to ensure a full troop complement on board BRP Sierra Madre after one personnel needing serious medical attention was recently evacuated. Personnel are being rotated in to ensure that BRP Sierra Madre’s mission posture remains uncompromised,” said the AFP in its statement ahead of the mission.
Foreign governments expressed concern about China’s latest actions in the West Philippine Sea, and reiterated their solidarity with the Philippines. – With a report from Reuters/Rappler.com
Error.
Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines.
Dialog is useless when China’s story is the exact opposite as to what we see on video. That type of blatant lying cannot be negotiated with.
What will the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) recommend to President Marcos Jr. after the March 23, 2024 incident? Another dialog? Until when will dialogs end? Until the CCG water cannon will kill a Philippine Navy personnel?
How does this make you feel? | Rappler | https://www.rappler.com/philippines/china-water-cannon-ayungin-shoal-march-23-2024/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1nxWgNrU1eq_k-0T-JgQH2aBheEtCB44BpDh1s8vWlbPGijJ3Wfv-GLIo_aem_kJ0RfBa0UF6z-CFUb3l-Rg |
More DALI stores soon? Discount grocery chain gets fresh $25-M investment | lkyu0285 | 27/03/2024 9:56 | GROCERY. Facade of a DALI store.
DALI Facebook Page
MANILA, Philippines – DALI, the hard discount grocery popping up in neighborhoods all over the country, is eyeing further expansion as it received a $25-million investment from growth equity firm Venturi Partners.
According to Venturi, the fresh funds will go towards DALI’s “ambitious expansion plans to fulfill its mission to sell high-quality, affordable groceries of everyday consumption at [the] lowest possible price in its local neighborhood stores.”
Since first opening in the Philippines in 2020, DALI has already grown to more than 250 stores by end-2022. As a discount grocery, it has found success by limiting the products that it sells to just about 400 “core range items” of food and non-food essentials. (READ: LOOK: How hard discount grocery DALI wins over value shoppers)
This isn’t the first time for DALI to attract investors with its disruptive business model. In early 2023, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) also bought $15 million worth of common equity shares in the company that owns DALI. Private equity firms Navegar and Creador, along with other institutional investors and family offices, have also invested in the discount grocery chain.
Venturi’s current investment of $25 million in DALI is bigger than that of the ADB. In a press statement, the Asia-focused equity firm said that it saw “tremendous potential for the company to expand its reach and improve the lives of even more households across the Philippines.”
Aside from Dali, Venturi has also invested in local startup Pickup Coffee, which offers specialty coffee at affordable prices. – Rappler.com
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[OPINION] Unjust wars and a just peace | Glenda Gloria | 26/03/2024 19:00 | Wars can have many and diverse causes, but it is when local conflicts are intertwined with geopolitics and geoeconomics that they become especially dangerous and destabilizing.
The three major wars or conflicts that are ongoing today demonstrate how volatile this intersection between the local and the global is.
In the Hamas-Israeli conflict, we see how the maintenance of the Israeli settler-colonial state is intertwined with the preservation of the global hegemony of the US.
In the war in the Ukraine, a bloody war of attrition between two countries was provoked by Washington’s push to expand NATO to a country of the former Soviet Union.
In the South China Sea, we are witnessing how disputes over territory and natural resources have been elevated to a global conflict by the US’s effort to maintain its global hegemony against China, to which it is losing the geo-economic competition but over which it continues to enjoy absolute military superiority.
In short, the main cause of global instability today lies in the fusion of the local and the global, geopolitics and geoeconomics, empire and capitalism.
What makes current conflicts especially volatile is that they are occurring amidst the absence of any effective multilateral coercive authority to impose a peaceful settlement. In the Ukraine, it is the balance of military might that will determine the outcome of the war, and here Russia seems to be prevailing over the Ukraine-NATO-US axis.
In the Middle East, there is no effective coercive power to oppose the Israeli-US military behemoth, which makes it all the more remarkable that despite a genocidal campaign that has been going on for nearly four months now, Israel has not achieved its principal war aim of destroying Hamas.
In the South China Sea, what determines the course of events is the balance of power between China and the US. There are no “rules of the game,” so that there is always a possibility that American and Chinese ships playing “chicken” – or heading for each other, then swerving at the last minute – can accidentally collide, and this collision can escalate to a higher form of conflict such as a conventional war.
Without effective coercive constraints imposed by a multilateral organization on the hegemon and its allies, the latter can easily descend into genocide and mass murder. Whether in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, or Gaza, the Geneva Convention and the Convention against Genocide, have been shown to be mere pieces of paper.
Given the absence of a multilateral referee that can impose its will, it is only the development of political, diplomatic, and military counter-power that can restrain the hegemon. This is the lesson that national liberation wars in Algeria and Vietnam taught the world. This is the lesson that the Palestinian resistance today teaches us.
This is why even as we condemn wars of empire waged by the hegemon, we must defend the right of people to resort to armed self-defense.
This does not mean that efforts at peacemaking by global civil society have no role to play. They do.
I still remember how shortly before the invasion of Iraq, the New York Times came out with an article on February 17, 2003, in response to massive mobilizations against the planned invasion of Iraq, that said that there were only two superpowers left in the world, and they were the United States and global public opinion, and that then President George W. Bush ignored this outpouring of global resistance at his peril.
Global civil society did contribute to the ending of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq by eroding the legitimacy of those wars among the US public, making them so unpopular that even Donald Trump denounced them – in retrospect – as did many personalities that had voted for war in the US Congress.
The recent decision of the International Court of Justice that has ordered Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza is likely to have a similar impact as the global civil society’s resistance to Bush, Jr’s, invasion of Iraq. The ICJ decision may not have an immediate impact on the ongoing war, but it will erode the legitimacy of the project of settler colonialism and apartheid in the long run, deepening the isolation of Israel in the long run.
We often see peace as an ideal state. But the peace of the graveyard is not peace. A peace bought at the price of fascist repression not only is not desirable but it will not last.
Oppressed peoples like the Palestinians will refuse peace at any price, peace that is obtained at the price of humiliation. As they have shown in the 76 years since the Nakba, their massive expulsion from their lands and homes, the Palestinians will not settle for anything less than peace with justice, one that enables them to recover their lands seized by Israelis, establish a sovereign state “from the river to the sea,” and allow them to hold their heads up in pride.
The rest of the world owes them its wholehearted support to realize such a just peace through all possible means, even as we work to oppose wars of empire waged by hegemons in other parts of the world. – Rappler.com
Walden Bello is co-chair of the Board of Focus on the Global South and adjunct professor of sociology at the State University of New York at Binghamton. He is a prominent voice pushing for the demilitarization and denuclearization of the South China Sea.
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Menu, prices: Osaka’s Don Don Tei opens 1st branch in Metro Manila | Steph Arnaldo | 26/03/2024 18:54 | MANILA, Philippines – All rice for more rice! Because the Philippines and Japan share the same culture of rice as an everyday staple, one of Japan’s famous donburi chains decided to set up shop in Metro Manila for the first time.
Under Gourmet Kineya, Don Don Tei – which means “rice bowl house” – opened its first Philippine branch on the second floor of Robinsons Galleria on March 20.
Founded in Abeno, Osaka in 1988, the original 14-seat bar of Don Don Tei has since grown into an international chain serving Osaka’s well-loved rice bowls that are “simple, convenient, tasty, and affordable.” Aside from Japan and now the Philippines, Don Don Tei can also be found in the United States and Hong Kong.
Hailing from the food capital of Japan – Osaka – Don Don Tei is known for its crispy tendon, tempura, and rice bowls with chicken, beef, pork, and seafood toppings. According to Don Don Tei, the dishes remain authentic to the OG recipes, but some have been slightly tweaked to cater to the Filipino palate.
Don Don Tei uses premium black tiger prawns for the Special Ebi Tendon (P450), ensuring high-quality tempura that highlights the fresh and chunky shrimp. It doesn’t get lost in the breading, which is made delicately thin from the house-made panko breadcrumbs.
It’s a light and crispy tempura, deep-fried until golden-brown. Two pieces of ebi tendon (I wish there were more pieces) and kakiage tempura (eggplant, squash, bell pepper) are set atop a bowl of moist Japanese rice, with a sweet-savory tendon sauce drizzled on top.
There’s also the Ebi Tendon (P350) and Kakiage Ebi Tendon (P420).
Don Don Tei’s beef options include Gyudon (P280), Sukiyaki Jyu (P395), and Wagyu Yakiniku Don (P675), the most premium option of the three. Around 5-7 slices of soft and tender wagyu are marinated in a savory yakiniku sauce, and then torched, resulting in a slightly smoky, char-grilled aftertaste. The side sesame cabbage salad adds a fresh contrast to the umami flavor.
For the pork options, there’s Tonkatsu Don with Sauce (P295), Katsudon (P295), and Katsu Curry (P320), with a crispy breaded pork cutlet served alongside vegetables and a sweet, thick Japanese curry.
Don Don Tei’s chicken rice bowls include Oyakodon (P270), Chicken Karaage Don (P295), Chicken Teriyaki Don (P295), and Chicken Karaage Curry (P320).
As for the fish, there’s Grilled Mackerel Don (P470), Salmon Teriyaki Don (P495), and the premium Unajyu (P650) that’s good for two. It’s a beautiful box filled with rice and perfectly-cooked, high-quality unagi (eel), with just the right amount of meat and fat with no fishy aftertaste. It’s cooked and glazed in an umami-rich, sweet teriyaki sauce that’s almost caramelized.
All donburi options come with a side of miso soup.
Other items on Don Don Tei’s menu include:
You can also get ala carte servings of the soba (P250), ebi tempura (P350/P520), and additional meat toppings. Traditional desserts are also served.
Don Don Tei’s group adheres to strict recipe guidelines from Japan, from the selection of the rice texture to the use of proprietary sauces.
Don Don Tei is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm at the Second Level, Robinsons Galleria, ADB Wing, Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City. – Rappler.com
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PNR will stop operations on March 28 for five years | lkyu0285 | 8/3/2024 12:57 | ALL ABOARD. Commuters board a Philippine National Railways train on June 2, 2023.
Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Railways (PNR) will be halting operations for the next five years starting Maundy Thursday, March 28, 2024 to give way to the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR).
The last trips from Governor Pascual to Tutuban and Tutuban to Alabang will be on March 27. The closure is expected to affect around 30,000 commuters in Metro Manila who ride the trains every day. (Editor’s note: The initial version of this story misreported that the number of commuters affected daily is 300,000.)
In the meantime, buses on the Tutuban-Alabang route and vice versa will be expected to drop off and pick up passengers along the current PNR route.
Southbound buses will pass through the following areas:
Meanwhile, northbound buses will pass through the following areas:
Here are the proposed bus stops for southbound and northbound buses near PNR stations, along with the trip schedules, according to the Department of Transportation:
Jeremy Regino, the current rails undersecretary who was the then-PNR general manager, previously told Rappler that the PNR’s Metro Manila trains will be transferred to its southern operations. (READ: PNR to stop operations in NCR by January 2024, resume trips to South Luzon)
“The loss of Metro Manila actually will be the gain of the Southern Luzon and Bicol area,” Regino told Rappler last October 2023. “Slowly, we are fixing the south.”
According to the Department of Transportation, halting the PNR will speed up the construction of the NSCR by 8 months, saving P15.18 billion in costs. The NSCR will be built along the same alignment used by the PNR in Metro Manila.
Once completed, the NSCR will run from Clark, Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna. The mega railway project is expected to accommodate up to 800,000 passengers per day. – Rappler.com
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Groups call for release of green activists abducted in Pangasinan | Iya Gozum | 26/03/2024 15:47 | RALLY. Various organizations trooped to Quezon City Hall on March 25, 2024 to call for the safe release of missing environmental activists Joxeille Tiong and Francisco Dangla III.
Sinagbayan
MANILA, Philippines – Local and international environmental, religious, and human rights groups called for the release of two environmental defenders – Joxeille Tiong and Francisco Dangla III – allegedly abducted in northern Philippines on Sunday, March 24.
Witnesses reported seeing two men forced inside an SUV on Sunday night in Barangay Polo in San Carlos City, Pangasinan province.
Tiong and Dangla were convenors of the Pangasinan People’s Strike for the Environment.
“Both are staunch and consistent environment defenders who vocally defended the people and ecosystems of Pangasinan against the harms of coal-fired power plants, nuclear power plants, incinerator plants, and offshore mining in Lingayen Gulf,” Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment said.
A sign-on statement demanding the safe release of both activists has since made the rounds on social media. As of writing, 48 local organizations, 32 groups based outside the Philippines, as well as individuals have signed.
“Before their disappearance, they were victims of red-tagging, or the practice of the government of naming individuals and organizations as communists or terrorists, which is often a prelude to further attacks,” the statement read.
On Monday, groups based in Metro Manila rallied outside the Quezon City Hall following reports of the abduction.
Community pantry organizer Patricia Non joined the appeals to surface Tiong and Dangla.
“They are both church workers, environmental defenders, and community pantry organizers during the pandemic,” Non wrote in Filipino on Monday. “They recently opposed the tree-cutting in the area where a capitol complex in Pangasinan is set to be built. They have yet to be found.”
She was referring to the development of Pangasinan’s Provincial Capitol Complex, funded by a P500-million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
Environmental organization Greenpeace denounced the “continued persecution of environmental and rights activists.”
“We call on the abductors to surface Eco and Jak, and for the government to take all steps to find the two activists and ensure their safety, and put a stop to red-tagging,” said Leah Guerrero, country director of Greenpeace Philippines, in a statement.
“We are also calling on our lawmakers to prioritize the passage of the Human Rights Defenders Protection bill.”
Meanwhile, non-governmental network EcoWaste Coalition criticized the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for its “red-tagging” practice and said it should “stop the persecution of activists.”
Last year, two women environmental defenders Jonila Castro and Jhed Tamano were abducted in Bataan. They surfaced during a press conference held by the NTF-ELCAC, where Tamano and Castro declared that it was the military who abducted them.
– Rappler.com
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In Malacañang visit, US lawmakers affirm support for PH as row with China worsens | Dwight de Leon | 26/03/2024 19:13 | MEETING. A US congressional delegation pays a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on March 26, 2024.
Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines – The issue of escalating tensions between Manila and Beijing in the West Philippine Sea was put into the spotlight during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s meeting with a US congressional delegation in Malacañang on Tuesday, March 26.
A press release from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the American lawmakers expressed support for the Philippine government in its push to assert its sovereignty in the maritime region.
“We share your concern about China’s aggression with regard to many of the issues around the Philippines. We stand with you and we want to continue to stand by you, and with you, and to push that aggression back appropriately,” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, told Marcos during the courtesy call.
Gillibrand was joined by other lawmakers, namely:
“I hope that the time that you will spend here can be a productive time where we are able to discuss further the situation concerning the Philippines and the geopolitical complications that we are facing presently,” Marcos also told the lawmakers.
The visit comes just a few days after the China Coast Gaurd used water cannons at Philippine resupply boat on its way to BRP Sierra Madre, the dilapidated Philippine Navy ship that serves as the country’s military outpost on the Ayungin Shoal.
The Unaizah May 4 suffered severe damage, and three of its crew members sustained injuries.
Manila subsequently summoned the Chinese embassy’s Charge d’affaires Zhou Zhiyong to protest the harassment tactics used by China during the March 23 mission. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs also questioned the sincerity of China in lowering the tensions in the maritime region.
China claims sovereignty over virtually all of the islands in the South China Sea, and has refused to recognize a 2016 arbitral ruling won by the Philippines, which invalidated Beijing’s nine-dash line.
Marcos is set to fly to Washington in April for a trilateral summit between the Philippines, the US, and Japan. The meeting is expected to yet again zero in on the South China sea problem. – Rappler.com
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Expect more storms than previous year because of impending La Niña | Iya Gozum | 26/03/2024 14:50 | Marikina Disaster Response team and residents monitor the water level marker at the Marikina Riverbanks, after it rose to second alarm due to the continuous monsoon rains as Typhoon Egay exits the country, on July 27, 2023.
Jire Carreon/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is expecting the onset of La Niña to result in more storms than the previous year, when there were only 11 tropical cyclones because of the El Niño phenomenon.
Ana Liza Solis, climate monitoring chief at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said on Tuesday, March 26, that their initial projection sees 13 to 16 typhoons by latter half of 2024.
It is important to note that this is still less than what the country experiences under normal conditions, typically averaging 20 tropical cyclones a year.
“During La Niña, we usually experience more typhoons because of warmer temperature of the ocean,” said Solis in a mix of Filipino and English.
In a La Niña event, sea surface temperatures in the western Pacific are warmer than normal, bringing more rainfall and severe floods. This is the opposite of how El Niño affects the Philippines, when sea temperature is colder, thus forming drier conditions and less rainfall.
Science Secretary Renato Solidum said on Tuesday in a Malacañang briefing that there is a 62% chance that La Niña will develop around June to August.
“And that percentage increases as we move to the later half of the year,” said Solidum. He assured that while the government is implementing actions to mitigate the effects of El Niño, they will later on transition into preparing for La Niña.
Because the warm waters are nearer the Philippines, developing storms have shorter travel time before they hit land, explained Solidum.
“That means we have smaller lead time,” Solidum said in Filipino. “The storm is nearer, there’s shorter time to prepare. So that’s why we have to be really ready for incoming storms.”
PAGASA in early March announced that its ENSO Alert and Warning System is now raised to La Niña Watch.
“Pre-developing La Niña, historically, is characterized by below-normal rainfall, therefore, the possibility of a slight delay on the onset of rainy season is likely with the combined effects of the ongoing El Niño,” PAGASA’s statement on March 7. – Rappler.com
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Another crisis is coming up. I hope that our government is prepared to tackle this. Some politicians may also see opportunities to exercise their Political Patronage System and engage in corrupt practices. It is a win for them but a loss for the Filipino People.
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[The Slingshot] Can the Quiboloy sect be outlawed? | Chay Hofilena | 26/03/2024 13:07 | Outlawing borderline religious sects is never a black-or-white question. These sects typically use the guise of religion to exist. As such, the universal exercise of religious freedom that the Philippine Constitution also enshrines protects them.
However the reality exists too that many such groups have the potential to engage in illegal activities. Sociologists opine that religious sects become borderline and turn into cults when they are led by charismatic self-appointed leaders who require severe membership controls and piety to a set of rules considered deviant by society. Tennessee State University, in its presentation on Cults in America, also made a similar definition and the usual profile of cult leaders.
The religion sociology scholar Jayeel Cornelio made a highly illuminative perspective in Rappler of the consequences of charisma of Apollo Quiboloy. Cornelio posits that the Quiboloy worldview imposes upon his sect members a “high demand, high control” belief that results in pervasive fear among them. Followers donate money to him even if they are already mired in debt, so as to please “god.” Female “pastorals” alleged they were prodded to sleep with him because it is a divine privilege, that sex with Quiboloy is the “will of god.”
Worldwide, there is an extremely adverse public view of cults. One such academic survey concluded that fear of cults is general and was specifically conducted way back in 1992 to explore the idea of outlawing them, because actual behavior harming people was present.
Such fears of cults are not unfounded. We can only look back to the 1978 Jonestown Massacre in Guyana, South America when 918 people in the Peoples Temple sect commune died after drinking grape Flavor Aid laced with cyanide. Its paranoid leader Jim Jones preached what he called “apostolic socialism” that was pro Soviet Russia. Using the approach of mass fear that authorities were out to annihilate the sect’s members, Jones effectively achieved mind control and the behavior modification techniques he borrowed from North Korea and Red China.
Jones planned the massacre cum mass murder that he called “revolutionary suicide.” The sect was also well armed. There was resistance from some members who refused to die, but guards of his so-called Red Brigade shot them. Jones would continually goad members that night of the massacre that “death is a friend.” There were babies and children. Jones had recorded the exact time of the massacre in what is now known as the chilling “Jim Jones Death Tape.”
What was the annihilation that Jones feared? He claimed a US government conspiracy against him, that the press had pilloried him, and that he was now “a dying man” because of all that persecution. The uncanny similarities to Quiboloy’s angry rants in his voice message on February 21, 2024 (since removed from YouTube?), resurrected fears of a mass suicide a la Jonestown, Guyana. In his voice message, Quiboloy had also said that he was now “a living dead.” It was not unlike a mind conditioning statement for the benefit of his sect members to motivate them to support him come hell or high water.
The social pattern is typical: charismatic leaders turning deranged, as Jim Jones had. David Koresh of the infamous Waco, Texas siege of 1993 was also of the same dysfunctional mold. As head of the Branch Davidians, he claimed to be God’s final prophet on earth and that he had direct lineage to the Biblical King David. Yet the prophet slept with many of the sect’s women. He said his aim was to sire 24 offspring who will serve as the “twenty-four ruling elders” of the millennium after the return of the second Christ. One girl chosen to have sex with him was underage and was actually the sister of Koresh’s legal wife.
The practices inside the cult were, to say the least, bizarre. Koresh would annul marriages of couples joining the cult so that he would have exclusive access to the women.
The psychiatrist who had examined 21 rescued children during the siege concluded that the children were “likely exposed to inappropriate concepts of sexuality,” and subject to “a whole variety of destructive emotional techniques…including shame, coercion, fear, intimidation, humiliation, guilt, overt aggression and power.” The children also said that “David Koresh was God, and hence he was not to be questioned.”
Koresh had also stockpiled weapons, the same allegation that had also been thrown at Quiboloy. When he was detained in the Honolulu airport in 2018, rifle parts were among those seized by US authorities in his private jet.
While Koresh admitted the multiple sexual relations, Quiboloy denies forcing his female pastorals into having sex with him. Among his accusers were two Ukrainian women and a Filipina who said Quiboloy allegedly had raped them. The Filipina said she was only a minor when it happened. Quiboloy claims women run after him because he is single and is wealthy.
One problem in the search for illegal loopholes among cults is how they can change objectives at the drop of a hat. Because narcissistic leaders rule them, the “religious” tenets or policies they hold can change on a whim. We actually witnessed this in the House hearings on Quiboloy’s SMNI television franchise. His lawyer who was being grilled by congressmen suddenly announced that Quiboloy was no longer connected with SMNI, that he was just its “honorary chairman.”
The distinct possibility that this was done to escape accountability is not remote. Unfortunately, this instead proved to be one of its illegal conducts – a franchisee’s change of ownership was not reported to authorities, a violation of the franchise.
While the idea of outlawing cults is a tricky one, there is also a general inability of most country’s law enforcement and criminal justice systems to disband them. And that is exactly what senator Risa Hontiveros is doing by breaking the ceiling – begin first with investigations and find out if Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ had broken laws.
The question on Quiboloy is even a trickier one because he has taken up as part of his apostolic mission a populist pseudo-political aim: the support of Rodrigo Duterte and his dynasty, including their predilection for extrajudicial killings.
In the US, a private non-profit organization called the Cult Education Institute assists doomsday cult members in deprogramming their conditioned minds to help them leave cults. But such kind of public assistance is absent in the Philippines where legislators often turn to mega-churches for political support during elections. Quiboloy claims he has 7 million followers. Whether true or not, politicians will be foolhardy to disappoint the possible support it can get during elections.
Bloc voting in the Philippines by religious movements such as the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) is closely intertwined with patronage politics and recognition for the group. In February 2018, Rodrigo Duterte appointed the INC’s executive minister Eduardo Manalo as his special envoy for overseas Filipino workers. Ferdinand Marcos reappointed Manalo in September 2023. Previously in 2009, Republic Act 9645 was passed, declaring July 27 of every year as Iglesia ni Cristo Day, a special national working holiday.
Bloc voting is also a coercive practice as prohibited by our Omnibus Election Code’s Article XXII Section 261 – Prohibited Acts under Election Offenses. It impinges upon the constitutional right of any voter to vote according to conscience without intimidation. Yet no politician has the guts to investigate the INC on it.
The reality is that while cults are generally seen as legal on the basis of the constitutional right to freedom of religion, many such are actually illegal because of their aberrant practices.
Of the many countries that are facing the conundrum of cults in their backyards, we can learn from the European Parliament. Sometime ago, its directorate-general published working papers to address cults in Europe. While conscious that it is treading on the balancing rope of religious freedom, it uses a resolution adopted by the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs in February 1996.
That resolution binds the European Union’s member states to exchange information on the conduct of cults in Europe. Then it calls on member states to do “the best way to restrain their undesirable activities and on strategies to raise public awareness about them.” For that it has set the essential context: Are human rights violated? Are political and religious freedoms violated? Are these cults devoting themselves to “murky or criminal activities and aimed to pervert the values and ideas which had built up and developed European societies”?
In the case of cults involved in undercover or criminal activities, the resolution actually empowers member states to withdraw the grant of religious status. As a result, a line was drawn between freedom of religion and criminal activity.
The Senate’s order for Quiboloy’s arrest for contempt is the least of his problems. His bigger problem is the case of qualified human trafficking filed by the Department of Justice. It is a non-bailable crime. He can be jailed together with petty criminals and drug addicts. Once in jail, government can easily transport his whereabouts to the US once it succeeds in its request for his extradition. It is even possible that all his grand properties can be garnished by the state.
Duterte will be a paper tiger as property custodian once the International Criminal Court arrests him together with his daughter and his two fist-waver senators. The end of the Dutertes and of Quiboloy is crossly intertwined. And it must happen.
But it is also the Hontiveros committee’s efforts that can lead to the possibility of legislation for a thorough monitoring of sects and their criminal activities without outright outlawing them. – Rappler.com
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I agree: “… there is also a general inability of most country’s law enforcement and criminal justice systems to disband them.” And in our country, “… the Hontiveros committee’s efforts that can lead to the possibility of legislation for a thorough monitoring of sects and their criminal activities without outright outlawing them.” Yes, it is possible, but Quiboloy’s minions at the Senate will undoubtedly give her a tough time. So, that is how our powerful cults have dominated all three branches of our government.
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Tycoons push for swift passage of bills on digital services tax, water department | Ralf Rivas | 26/03/2024 12:24 | BUSINESS LEADERS. File photo of members of the Private Sector Advisory Council holding a meeting in Malacañang.
PSAC
MANILA, Philippines – Several economic bills backed by the business elites advising President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are a step closer to becoming law after hurdling Congress deliberations.
The bill seeking to impose value-added tax on digital services, the E-governance bill, and the bill creating the Department of Water Resources and Services, which are backed by the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), have been approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives.
“As a member of the Private Sector Advisory Council, we help to urge swift action by recommending to the President the passing of key bills like digital service tax, E-Governance, and the Department of Water Resources. Establishing a national governing body for water resources is crucial for sustainable management,” said PSAC lead convenor and Aboitiz Group CEO Sabin Aboitiz.
The House approved some of the bills in late 2023. For these to be law, the Senate must pass its own versions. A bicameral conference committee would then reconcile the differences in the two chambers’ bills, both houses would separately ratify the bicameral report, and the enrolled bills would be submitted to Malacañang for the President’s signature.
House Bill 4122 seeks to impose 12% VAT on digital services consumed in the Philippines.
This includes online platforms and media, search engines, e-marketplaces, and digital goods. Online courses and webinars and subscription services for educational institutions are not covered.
The Department of Finance (DOF) earlier noted that this is not a new tax, but only seeks to clarify which digital services to tax. The DOF went on to say that it was not fair to only tax traditional businesses like restaurants, but not online platforms like Netflix.
House Bill No. 7327 aims to “transition of the government to e-Governance in the digital age” and create the Philippine Infostructure Management Corporation.
It is meant to complement other digitalization laws, particularly the SIM Card Registration Act and the National ID System.
Every government agency would be authorized to create a plantilla post for a chief information officer to check all tech systems are properly implemented and compliant with the law.
The proposed measure intends to create the E-Government Masterplan, which will be the blueprint in developing e-government services.
House Bill 9663 seeks to establish the Department of Water Resources, which will serve as the primary agency responsible for the comprehensive and integrated water resources development and management in the Philippines.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) earlier pointed out that there are over 30 agencies with overlapping functions related to the country’s water resources. This has led to uncoordinated planning efforts and inconsistent implementation of policies that adversely affect the country’s water supply.
“This state of affairs affects about 12.4 million people who obtain water from unsafe sources, with some areas needing more water service providers,” NEDA said. – Rappler.com
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LOOK: P-pop groups BINI, G22 to participate in Lay Zhang’s ‘Show It All’ | Ysa Abad | 26/03/2024 12:57 | MANILA, Philippines – P-pop continues to make waves in the international scene as girl groups BINI and G22 are confirmed to join the Chinese show Show It All.
Both BINI and G22 confirmed their participation in the show by sharing a video message on Monday, March 25.
The two groups said that they had “heard that Show It All launched a new stage to the world” and that they just had to join it. G22 also added that they’ll be “serving [fans] with a banging and booming performance.”
A teaser released on Monday also showed that aside from BINI and G22, other girl groups from across the world will also make an appearance in Show It All, including DOLLA from Malaysia, PiXXie from Thailand, and Boys World from the United States.
PH represent! 🇵🇭 Ready to SHOW IT ALL this April! #ShowItAll #G22 #G22AJ #G22Alfea #G22Jaz pic.twitter.com/0vLhOzPJKW
Show It All is a survival program featuring trainees from Lay Zhang’s entertainment company who aim to be part of the next big girl group. While there’s no confirmation yet from the show’s producers, fans are guessing that inviting groups from other countries will serve as a way to test the trainees.
Its pilot episode will be aired on March 28 via the MangoTV app.
Composed of AJ, Alfea, and Jaz, G22 is a three-member girl group under Cornerstone Entertainment that debuted in February 2022. Dubbed as “P-Pop’s Female Alphas,” they are best known for their banger songs “BANG!,” “Boomerang,” and “LOKA.”
Meanwhile, BINI has eight members — Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Mikha, Gwen, Stacey, Sheena, and Jhoanna. The “Nation’s Girl Group” debuted in June 2021 under ABS-CBN’s Star Music. Their hits include “Pantropiko,” “Salamin, Salamin,” “Karera,” “Na Na Na,” and “Lagi.” – Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: Billy Crawford interview used in weight loss ad is AI-edited | Lorenz Pasion | 26/03/2024 20:00 | Claim: Filipino actor and singer Billy Crawford vouches for EcoFit, a product that claims to be a weight loss supplement.
Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook video containing the claim has 3,700 reactions, 365,000 views, 885 comments, and 260 shares as of writing.
The video features a clip of Crawford’s appearance on the talk show Tonight with Boy Abunda, where he discusses his weight loss journey. The video shows Crawford seemingly promoting EcoFit and providing anecdotal evidence to support the purported weight loss effects of the product.
The post is accompanied by a link to a website to order the weight loss supplement.
The facts: The supposed interview is AI-manipulated. Sensity, a Netherlands-based tool for detecting AI, found the video “suspicious” with a 93.1% confidence level.
“High confidence indicates that the detector has found definite signals of AI generation or manipulation. Minimum confidence for this detector is 50%,” according to Sensity.
The original and unaltered video of the interview was posted on the ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube channel in November 2019. In the original interview, Crawford made no mention of EcoFit; instead, he attributed his weight loss to the keto diet. In the manipulated clip, “keto” was replaced with “EcoFit”.
Not FDA registered: EcoFit is not on the list of approved food and drug products of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration.
AI disinformation: AI-manipulated content has been increasingly used for disinformation campaigns, often exploiting the likeness of popular personalities to endorse products or spread false narratives. The Global Risks Report 2024 from the World Economic Forum identified misinformation and disinformation as among the most critical short-term global risks over the next two years. (READ: Deepfakes: How to empower youth to fight the threat of misinformation and disinformation)
Earlier in March, Rappler debunked an AI-manipulated report of news anchor Jessica Soho supposedly advertising the same product.
Rappler has also fact-checked other videos manipulated using AI tools:
– Jerico Alvaran/Rappler.com
Jerico Alvaran is a Rappler volunteer. He is a senior statistics major at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. You may also report dubious claims to the #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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View from Manila: ‘Tama na, Lord’ | Bea Cupin | 26/03/2024 7:43 | WATER CANNON. A China Coast Guard ship uses a water cannon against the Unaizah May 4, a wooden boat contracted by the Philippine military to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, on March 23, 2024.
Screengrab from Armed Forces of the Philippines video
MANILA, Philippines – When the Unaizah May 4 approached Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea for a second time in a month, it was greeted by a familiar and violent foe: water cannons from the China Coast Guard (CCG).
On Saturday, March 23, out at sea, the wooden ship held on, but barely.
GMA News’ exclusive video taken from inside the Unaizah May 4 showed military personnel scrambling around an already-drenched ship deck as China’s water cannon imposed its way from one side of the ship to the other.
“Tama na, Lord (Lord, please stop this),” said one of the people in the video, before another blast of water shot through the ship.
The water cannons from the CCG went on for over an hour (according to videos from the Armed Forces of the Philippines). The Unaizah May 4 suffered “severe damage” while Navy personnel on board also reported injuries. The video taken from inside the ship would suggest it’s a miracle that nobody got seriously hurt.
China reasoned out its use of water cannons, dangerous maneuvers, and blocking to push away the much-smaller Unaizah May 4 and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels. It said its CCG and Chinese Maritime Military “firmly [obstructed] the Philippines’ vessels, and [foiled] the Philippines’ attempt.”
Manila called China out for what those actions actually were: “Illegal and irresponsible actions belies its hollow claims to peace, dialogue, and adherence to international law.”
The Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año was a lot less diplomatic in his words for Beijing.
“Their actions are illegal, coercive, aggressive and even deceptive. This is just an ordinary rotation and resupply or provision operation but look at how the Chinese are reacting, it’s as if it’s already the end of the world. So it’s really humiliating themselves in front of the world,” he told the media in an interview on Sunday, March 24.
“We will continue to do this, we will not be deterred, we will not be intimidated because it is our right and we have to protect our soldiers, our sailors there at BRP Sierra Madre,” said Año, a day before he met with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and other National Security Agency heads on what to recommend to the President.
We have seen the CCG chase or chase away Philippine ships in Ayungin Shoal before.
The Unaizah May 4’s sister ships, the Unaizah May 1 and Uniazah May 2, as well as the M/L Kalayaan, bare battlescars from those missions – dents and damage from collisions, allisions, and the CCG’s water cannons. All three ships are still being repaired.
But the intensity of the CCG’s actions on March 23, shown through video released by both the PCG and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in near-real time, was difficult to watch. But if you still want to, the clip is right here:
At one point, a CCG ship sailed backwards at what looked like high-speed, in an attempt to block the Unaizah May 4.
According to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, harassment began even before daybreak – CCG and CMM ships “worked in tandem” against the PCG vessels and the Unaizah May 4.
The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), freshly incensed over a Chinese official in Manila’s disclosure of confidential discussions, made three protests over the March 23 Ayungin incident – a summon in Manila, a protest in Beijing, and a phone call from Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro.
The mission, which happens at least once a month, is meant to bring soldiers and supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, an area just over 100 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan.
The World War II-era vessel, purposefully run aground in 1999, now serves as a symbol of both the Philippines’ ingenuity and resilience, but also its military and material shortcomings.
The latest dangerous incident in Ayungin Shoal happened just days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Manila and the White House’s announcement that it would be hosting in April the first-ever US-Japan-Philippines leaders summit.
The US, a treaty-ally of the Philippines, said China’s actions are “destabilizing to the region and show clear disregard for international law.” Japan, through its embassy in Manila, reiterated its “grave concern on the repeated dangerous actions by CCG in SCS which resulted in Filipino injuries.”
Blinken, in a joint presser with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, said the US has a “shared concern about the PRC’s actions that threaten our common vision for a free, open Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and in the Philippines exclusive economic zone.”
“Repeated violations of international law and the rights of the Philippines – water cannons, blocking maneuvers, close shadowing, other dangerous operations – these waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy, but they’re also critical to the interests of the region, the United States, and the world,” said Blinken on March 19, as he reaffirmed that the Mutual Defense Treaty would extend to armed attacks, including against the PCG, in the South China Sea.
Just two days after Blinken’s visit to Manila, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Okano Masataka hosted Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and the Philippines’ Undersecretary Lazaro in Tokyo to “deepen trilateral cooperation among the United States, Japan, and the Philippines.”
“Deputy Secretary Campbell, Vice Foreign Minister Okano, and Undersecretary Lazaro reiterated their collective commitment to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and East China Sea,” the State Department said in a readout.
All eyes are on the burgeoning relationship among the three countries – a mix that would probably make the heads of Filipinos who survived the Japanese and American occupation’s spin.
But it is a relationship that makes sense, especially as tensions in the West Philippine Sea and unease over the situation in Taiwan rise. Both Manila and Tokyo are treaty allies of the United States.
Japan has had robust defense, trade, and aid ties with the Philippines, a relationship cultivated through decades and across administrations. A Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), a Visiting Forces Agreement-like deal that would govern how Japanese troops can engage in the Philippines, was hoped to be signed before the end of March 2024.
Washington has been quick to respond to the Marcos administration’s openness to amping up ties with one of its oldest ally. Manalo said bilateral ties are on “hyperdrive.”
Blinken said in response: “The alliance has never been stronger, but we not only have to sustain that, we have to continue to accelerate the momentum.”
And Beijing? Well, they’re certainly not enthused, as expected.
“The military cooperation between the US and the Philippines should not undermine China’s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, nor should it be used to support the illegal claims of the Philippines,” said the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Lin Jian, responding to Blinken’s concerns over Chinese actions in the South China Sea.
The Marcos administration has been on hyperdrive in improving its bilateral and multilateral ties, especially in terms of security and defense.
Lazaro, in a chance interview in early March, said there would be “no difficulties” in another trilateral relationship: between the Philippines, Japan, and India. Although no formal talks have started, Philippine-Japan ties have always been robust. Manila and New Delhi ties have only improved in recent years.
From March 25 to 27, Manila will be hosting Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. This would be their top diplomat’s second visit to the Philippines in just over two years.
“In addition to advancing trade and tourism between two of Asia’s fastest growing economies, the foreign minister’s meeting with Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo will focus on defense and maritime cooperation, food security, development, healthcare and financial technology cooperation,” said the DFA in a release.
Manila is Jaishankar’s last stop in a three-country tour around the region. Indian Ambassador to Manila Shambhu S. Kumaran, speaking at the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation 2024 Day, said bilateral ties between Manila and New Delhi were at their “best ever.”
It’s a timely visit from New Delhi – India, too, has to contend with China’s encroachment. In August 2023, it protested China’s new “standard map,” which claimed parts of Indian territory. The Philippines has long protested China’s version of reality – in particular, because in that map, almost all of the South China Sea is Beijing’s.
Cooperation between the coast guards of India and the Philippines are well and good. The two coast guards signed a memorandum of understanding for “enhancing maritime cooperation” back in August 2023.
The India Coast Guard’s Samura Pahererar is docked in Manila to coincide with Minister Jaishankar’s visit. – Rappler.com
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PH gears up for 32-team 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship solo host gig | jisaga0269 | 26/03/2024 19:24 | HIT. Philippines’ Bryan Bagunas attacks against Indonesia as Marck Espejo looks on.
PNVF
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is preparing for one of its biggest sporting events yet after it won solo bidding rights for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in September 2025 – the country’s first-ever hosting of the sport at the world level.
Essentially the equivalent of the World Cup in basketball and football, next year’s World Championship will feature the 32 best teams in the globe to compete for ultimate volleyball supremacy, and the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) is pulling out all stops for the huge task at hand.
“In hosting world events, we are really ready already. This is the first time the Philippines will host a single hosting. The FIBA [World Cup] was co-hosted by Japan and Indonesia with a 16-8-8 [country split]. We now have 32, and the last World Championships in Poland only had 24,” said PNVF chief Tats Suzara.
“We now have 32 teams, including the Philippines, so we need to be global now. Hosting this World Championship for the first time is really good for the sport of volleyball and good for the fans.”
Locked in a fierce final bidding battle with Japan and Indonesia, the Philippines reportedly gained the edge it needed, per Suzara, with its current three-year hosting streak of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) since 2022.
“Filipino fans are different, and the FIVB noticed. You see [them watch] Japan, which is very popular here, and Poland. This time the USA is coming in the VNL. Filipino fans are different,” Suzara continued. “I think that’s one important aspect that we won the bid, so they really selected the Philippines.”
Now the heavy work begins for the PNVF, which has about a year and a half to iron out its preparations, both in terms of the national team and the hosting itself.
Former VNL venues Mall of Asia Arena and Araneta Coliseum will house the World Championship games, with MOA being the main venue for the elimination round and finals.
“It shows that volleyball is very active in our country with lots of supporters and stakeholders,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. “Now it’s another opportunity to showcase our country through sports.”
Comprising the Philippine coaching staff who will assemble the best team possible for 2025 are head coach Sergio Veloso, assistant coach Odjie Mamon, and the returning Dante Alinsunurin, who will likely aid Veloso as the main deputy.
“The timeline that we are preparing for the team is starting next month once the Spikers’ Turf tournament is completed, then the team will start. Of course, this is a big pool of players that we need to select,” Suzara said.
“We have one year and a half, and part of the agreement of FIVB is to bring our team to more competitions. As you know, we have improved our ranking, from 117 last year to 56 in the world now. Hopefully, we can be No. 32 or No. 20+ next year in the World Championship.”
Ideally, the national team members will be chosen around September 2024, as the PNVF will also hold a “one-year countdown tournament” featuring at least three Japanese teams to play against the Philippines’ best.
Players to watch out for in this newest iteration of the national team are the likes of Marck Espejo, Bryan Bagunas, Jau Umandal, and returning star setter Owa Retamar.
Head coach Veloso insisted, however, that he would not play favorites, and everyone in the pool will have an equal shot at making the World Championship roster. – Rappler.com
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China causes ‘heavy damage’ on Philippine resupply ship in Ayungin Shoal – AFP | Bea Cupin | 23/03/2024 10:44 | WATER CANNON. A China Coast Guard ship uses a water cannon against the Unaizah May 4, a wooden boat contracted by the Philippine military to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, on March 23, 2024.
Screengrab from Armed Forces of the Philippines video
MANILA, Philippines – The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday, March 23, used water cannons against a Philippine resupply boat that was en route to the BRP Sierra Madre, a makeshift Philippine military outpost in Ayungin Shoal, the Philippine military said.
The boat, the wooden Unaizah May 4, “sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 due to the continued blasting of water cannons from the CCG vessels,” the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a press statement on Saturday.
Videos from the AFP suggest China used water cannons against the much-smaller Unaizah May 4 beginning 7:59 am, during a routine rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to the Sierra Madre, a World War II ship purposefully run aground in 1999 in Ayungin Shoal.
Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal is a feature in the South China Sea that is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), an area Manila calls the West Philippine Sea.
Before the China Coast Guard started using water cannons on the Unaizah May 4, the PCG’s BRP Cabra, a vessel assigned to escort the supply vessel, was “impeded and encircled” by a China Coast Guard vessel and two Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) ships, the AFP said.
The CMM is a fishing fleet that China uses in the West Philippine Sea to augment its coast guard forces.
The AFP said that early as 6:08 am, a China Coast Guard ship had already performed a “dangerous maneuver” by crossing the bow of the Unaizah May 4.
An hour later, at around 7:09 am, video from the AFP shows a China Coast Guard ship sailing in reverse in an attempt to block the Unaizah May 4. The AFP said this caused a “near collision.”
While the Unaizah May 4 was unable to continue its mission because of “severe damage” from the direct blast of water cannons, the Philippines was still able to bring personnel and essential cargo to the Sierra Madre.
The AFP said six Navy personnel and cargo were transferred from the Unaizah May 4 and the BRP Cabra to a rigid-hulled inflatable boat deployed by the BRP Sierra Madre.
“They arrived and moored at the starboard side of LS57 at 11:59 am,” said the AFP.
The military also noted that a Chinese Maritime Militia boat, with the help of Chinese rigid-hulled inflatable boat, “deployed and installed floating barriers to prevent further entry of any vessels in the shoal.”
National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said in a statement that some personnel were injured and were given medical attention once moved to the Philippine Coast Guard vessel.
“The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) latest acts of unprovoked aggression, coercion, and dangerous maneuvers against a legitimate and routine Philippine RoRe mission to Ayungin Shoal, have once again placed at risk, caused severe damage to property, and caused physical harm to Filipinos on board UM4,” the NTF-WPS said.
The NTF-WPS said that “the systematic and consistent manner in which the PRC continues to carry out these illegal and irresponsible actions belies its hollow claims to peace, dialogue, and adherence to international law.”
The NTF-WPS said that National Security Adviser Eduardo Año has requested a meeting on Monday, March 25, with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and the National Security Cluster “for purposes of making recommendations to the President” in relation to the latest incident.
“The actions of the agents of the PRC today in the waters of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) show to the Filipino people, the region, and the world that the PRC recognizes no reasonable or legal restraint nor limitation upon its actions under international law,” the task force said.
“The Philippines will not be deterred – by veiled threats or hostility – from exercising our legal rights over our maritime zones, including Ayungin Shoal which forms part of our EEZ and continental shelf. We demand that China demonstrate in deeds and not in words that it is a responsible and trustworthy member of the international community,” it added.
The NTF-WPS said that the Philippines “shall continue to act peacefully and responsibly, consistent with international law, particularly UNCLOS and the legally binding 2016 Arbitral Award.”
“Peace and stability cannot be achieved without due regard for the legitimate, well-established, and legally settled rights of others,” it added.
Gan Yu, a spokesperson for China’s coast guard, said the Philippines broke a promise to remove the grounded vessel and sent two coast guard ships and a supply ship into the Second Thomas Shoal waters, 18 days after the last round of supplies.
China has not said who promised the removal or when that promise was made. The Philippines’ defense ministry, foreign ministry and military leaders have repeatedly said there was no such promise.
On Saturday, Gan said, the Philippines infringed and provoked trouble, and deliberately undermined the peace and stability of the South China Sea.
The Philippine vessels ignored China’s repeated warnings and route controls and forced their way in, he said. The China coast guard implements regulations in accordance with laws, and handles matters in a reasonable, legal, and professional manner, Gan said.
In August 2023, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. refuted China’s claim that the Philippine government had agreed to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, and if any had been made, he was rescinding it.
National Security Council Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya had earlier called China’s assertion a “figment of their imagination.”
The Philippines has sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea – meaning it has the exclusive right to exploit and take care of resources in those areas. But China claims practically all of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, ignoring a 2016 Arbitral Ruling that deemed that claim invalid.
For the first time since launching its “transparency initiative” in the West Philippine Sea – an effort to expose Chinese activities in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone – both the Philippine Coast Guard and the AFP released to the media near real-time updates and video of the mission.
Past midnight on March 23, the AFP announced that the Unaizah May 4 was again tapped to “complete its mission to sustain Philippine troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre.” The boat, a civilian ship that the Navy contracts to bring supplies and troops to the Sierra Madre, was subject to the water cannons of two China Coast Guard ships during a mission earlier in March.
The impact from the water cannons shattered the wind shield of the Unaizah May 4, injuring four Navy personnel.
The AFP also announced that two Philippine Navy ships, on top of the usual Philippine Coast Guard vessel, would escort the Unaizah May 4.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines emphasizes that the mission is a routine operation aimed at sustaining and rotating military personnel at Ayungin Shoal. This particular mission was set up to ensure a full troop complement on board BRP Sierra Madre after one personnel needing serious medical attention was recently evacuated. Personnel are being rotated in to ensure that BRP Sierra Madre’s mission posture remains uncompromised,” said the AFP in its statement ahead of the mission.
Foreign governments expressed concern about China’s latest actions in the West Philippine Sea, and reiterated their solidarity with the Philippines. – With a report from Reuters/Rappler.com
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Dialog is useless when China’s story is the exact opposite as to what we see on video. That type of blatant lying cannot be negotiated with.
What will the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) recommend to President Marcos Jr. after the March 23, 2024 incident? Another dialog? Until when will dialogs end? Until the CCG water cannon will kill a Philippine Navy personnel?
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Foreign governments stand with Philippines after latest incident in Ayungin Shoal | Mia Gonzalez | 23/03/2024 16:33 | HARASSMENT. A Philippine Coast Guard vessel is 'impeded and encircled' by Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea on March 23, 2024.
Screengrab from Philippine Coast Guard video
MANILA, Philippines – Foreign governments on Saturday, March 23, rallied behind the Philippines after the China Coast Guard again used water cannons against a Philippine vessel on a routine rotation and resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, damaging the boat and causing injuries among some crew members.
“The US stands with the Philippines against the PRC’s repeated dangerous maneuvers & water cannons to disrupt @CoastGuardPH lawful activities in the Philippines’ EEZ. The PRC’s interference with Philippines’ freedom of navigation violates international law & threatens a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific,” US Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson said on X (formerly Twitter).
Japan also expressed its “grave concern” over the latest incident involving the China Coast Guard and Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
“Japan reiterates its grave concern on the repeated dangerous actions by CCG in SCS which resulted in Filipino injuries. Japan stands in solidarity with the PH as confirmed at the Japan-Philippines-US Vice Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in this week,” Japanese Ambassador-designate to the Philippines Endo Kazuya said on X.
New Zealand was among the first to issue a statement, via its social media page, about the incident.
“New Zealand is deeply concerned at further actions today by Chinese vessels towards the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal. These endanger lives at sea. It is fundamental to regional stability that maritime disputes are resolved peacefully in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS,” the New Zealand embassy in Manila said on X.
European Union (EU) Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Veron said that he was “concerned by recurring dangerous manoeuvres, blocking and water-cannoning from Chinese Coast Guard vessels and Maritime Militia against Philippine vessels engaged in resupply missions.”
“The EU reiterates the call for all parties to abide by the legally binding 2016 Arbitration Award and #internationallaw to peacefully resolve disputes, guaranteeing safety for all in maritime waters,” Veron said on X.
The EU, meanwhile, said China’s recent acts against the Philippines “constituted a dangerous provocation” and “put human lives at risk, undermine regional stability and international norms, and threaten security in the region and beyond.”
United Kingdom’s Laure Beaufils and Dutch Ambassador to the Philippines Marielle Geraedts also issued separate statements expressing concern over Saturday’s incident.
The two reiterated the importance of following international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Geraedts also urged China to honor the arbitral award that the Philippines won in 2016.
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu said the incident was “part of a pattern of deeply concerning behaviour” on the part of China.
“We share the Philippines’ serious concerns about dangerous conduct by China’s vessels adjacent to Second Thomas Shoal today…. UNCLOS is the basis for peace and stability in the South China Sea,” she said.
French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel said in a statement that France opposes any threat or use of force, adding that dialogue is important in resolving disputes.
German Ambassador to the Philippines Andreas Pfaffernoschke, meanwhile, said Germany “is very concerned about the dangerous incident involving vessels of the China Coast Guard, causing heavy damage on a Philippine resupply mission ship in the exclusive economic zone of the [Philippines].”
On Tuesday, March 26, South Korean foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk told a briefing: “We are gravely concerned about the recent and repeated use of water cannons in the South China Sea. These actions increase tensions in the South China Sea, a major international navigation route used by all countries including Korea, and undermine efforts to maintain peace, stability, security and a rules-based maritime order.” – with a report from Reuters/Rappler.com
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All democratic countries need to step up and assist the Philippines in the defence of its territories. This will affect all countries enjoying the freedom of navigation through the West Philippine Sea.
Thanks for these concerns from the said countries. But it should be more than that.
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[Dash of SAS] Making abortion a constitutional right | Miriam Grace Go | 26/03/2024 14:00 | Josh Parrish via Wikimedia Commons
France just made abortion a constitutional right. Compared to the United States, where Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court recognized and upheld the constitutional right to abortion, France has enshrined it in its constitution – the legal decree from which all other laws are founded. This means that the right to abortion in France cannot be overturned as it was in the reversal of Roe vs. Wade. France is the first country where women and pregnant people are explicitly guaranteed the right to terminate a pregnancy and make decisions about their bodies.
“There is an undeniable trend of liberalization of abortion laws across the globe,” said Jihan Jacob, Associate Director for Legal Strategies of the Center for Reproductive Rights.
In the last three decades, more than 60 countries and territories have liberalized their abortion laws. In Asia.
Despite this global trend towards liberalizing abortion laws, according to Jacob, the Philippines remains “a battleground for abortion rights.”
“Here, restrictive laws threaten women and providers with imprisonment, highlighting the urgent need for reform,” Jacob emphasized.
The threats, the restrictions, and the social taboos that impose them have fatal consequences. At least 1,000 pregnant people in the Philippines die every year from complications related to unsafe abortions.
Christine Santos was determined not to be one of them.
Christine Santos. That was the name she chose for herself at the health center. Nondescript, but believable. Forgettable and average, but common enough not to be questioned as fake or forged.
No one would know that Christine Santos needed a pregnancy test.
The two pink lines that came back confirmed that Christine Santos was pregnant. Her stomach lurched. Her knees gave way. Pregnancy was not an option. She had just lost her father. She was just about to graduate. She was just not ready. She was 19 and sure about what she had to do: terminate her pregnancy.
Christine Santos is by no means the first Filipino vulva owner to want to terminate her pregnancy. Christine Santos isn’t the first Filipino pregnant person seeking an abortion.
Over a million others induce abortions annually, the only option in a country where abortion is met with criminal sanctions, and discussing abortion is taboo.
She is, however, one of the few with the means, resources, and connections to act on her decisions about her body.
Her first stop was the pharmacy to buy pills that supposedly helped mothers who had just given birth get their menstruation back so they could lactate and breastfeed. Friends of friends had supposedly tried it. It supposedly worked. But it did not for Christine Santos, who only admonished herself for being desperate enough to believe it would.
Ultimately, she paid P10,000 for a “kit” which included Cytotec, methergin, and amoxicilin. Her partner at the time paid for the half that could not be covered by the money she made teaching and selling snacks to her classmates.
The night she took the pills started with severe pain, fever, and heavy bleeding, and ended in a week of post-abortion care. If it had not been for her compassionate OB-GYN friend who took care of her, Christine Santos might have had to endure the horrors other pregnant people through – the punishment by health workers who publicly shamed patients. Some begrudgingly treated patients, but as an act of cruelty and punishment, denied them anesthesia.
Most of the pregnant people who need post-abortion care or die from complications from unsafe abortion are poor, Catholic, married, have at least three children, and at least a high school education.
It’s been more than a decade now, and Christine Santos has never regretted her decision to have an abortion. She now helps other pregnant people get safe access to an abortion. The introductions are made through hushed referrals, requests are carefully screened, and needed medication is delivered and administered through the supervision of health workers.
One thing is no longer secret: the pregnant people who come to her call Christine Santos by her real name. – Rappler.com
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[OPINION] Unjust wars and a just peace | Glenda Gloria | 26/03/2024 19:00 | Wars can have many and diverse causes, but it is when local conflicts are intertwined with geopolitics and geoeconomics that they become especially dangerous and destabilizing.
The three major wars or conflicts that are ongoing today demonstrate how volatile this intersection between the local and the global is.
In the Hamas-Israeli conflict, we see how the maintenance of the Israeli settler-colonial state is intertwined with the preservation of the global hegemony of the US.
In the war in the Ukraine, a bloody war of attrition between two countries was provoked by Washington’s push to expand NATO to a country of the former Soviet Union.
In the South China Sea, we are witnessing how disputes over territory and natural resources have been elevated to a global conflict by the US’s effort to maintain its global hegemony against China, to which it is losing the geo-economic competition but over which it continues to enjoy absolute military superiority.
In short, the main cause of global instability today lies in the fusion of the local and the global, geopolitics and geoeconomics, empire and capitalism.
What makes current conflicts especially volatile is that they are occurring amidst the absence of any effective multilateral coercive authority to impose a peaceful settlement. In the Ukraine, it is the balance of military might that will determine the outcome of the war, and here Russia seems to be prevailing over the Ukraine-NATO-US axis.
In the Middle East, there is no effective coercive power to oppose the Israeli-US military behemoth, which makes it all the more remarkable that despite a genocidal campaign that has been going on for nearly four months now, Israel has not achieved its principal war aim of destroying Hamas.
In the South China Sea, what determines the course of events is the balance of power between China and the US. There are no “rules of the game,” so that there is always a possibility that American and Chinese ships playing “chicken” – or heading for each other, then swerving at the last minute – can accidentally collide, and this collision can escalate to a higher form of conflict such as a conventional war.
Without effective coercive constraints imposed by a multilateral organization on the hegemon and its allies, the latter can easily descend into genocide and mass murder. Whether in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, or Gaza, the Geneva Convention and the Convention against Genocide, have been shown to be mere pieces of paper.
Given the absence of a multilateral referee that can impose its will, it is only the development of political, diplomatic, and military counter-power that can restrain the hegemon. This is the lesson that national liberation wars in Algeria and Vietnam taught the world. This is the lesson that the Palestinian resistance today teaches us.
This is why even as we condemn wars of empire waged by the hegemon, we must defend the right of people to resort to armed self-defense.
This does not mean that efforts at peacemaking by global civil society have no role to play. They do.
I still remember how shortly before the invasion of Iraq, the New York Times came out with an article on February 17, 2003, in response to massive mobilizations against the planned invasion of Iraq, that said that there were only two superpowers left in the world, and they were the United States and global public opinion, and that then President George W. Bush ignored this outpouring of global resistance at his peril.
Global civil society did contribute to the ending of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq by eroding the legitimacy of those wars among the US public, making them so unpopular that even Donald Trump denounced them – in retrospect – as did many personalities that had voted for war in the US Congress.
The recent decision of the International Court of Justice that has ordered Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza is likely to have a similar impact as the global civil society’s resistance to Bush, Jr’s, invasion of Iraq. The ICJ decision may not have an immediate impact on the ongoing war, but it will erode the legitimacy of the project of settler colonialism and apartheid in the long run, deepening the isolation of Israel in the long run.
We often see peace as an ideal state. But the peace of the graveyard is not peace. A peace bought at the price of fascist repression not only is not desirable but it will not last.
Oppressed peoples like the Palestinians will refuse peace at any price, peace that is obtained at the price of humiliation. As they have shown in the 76 years since the Nakba, their massive expulsion from their lands and homes, the Palestinians will not settle for anything less than peace with justice, one that enables them to recover their lands seized by Israelis, establish a sovereign state “from the river to the sea,” and allow them to hold their heads up in pride.
The rest of the world owes them its wholehearted support to realize such a just peace through all possible means, even as we work to oppose wars of empire waged by hegemons in other parts of the world. – Rappler.com
Walden Bello is co-chair of the Board of Focus on the Global South and adjunct professor of sociology at the State University of New York at Binghamton. He is a prominent voice pushing for the demilitarization and denuclearization of the South China Sea.
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LIST: April 2024 special non-working days in PH provinces, cities, towns | Miriam Grace Go | 26/03/2024 20:09 | Pangasinan image from provincial government; Antipolo and Mountain Province images from Shutterstock
MANILA, Philippines – This is a compilation of special non-working days in various localities in the Philippines for April 2024, as proclaimed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Bookmark this page for possible additional announcements from Malacañang. – Rappler.com
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In Malacañang visit, US lawmakers affirm support for PH as row with China worsens | Dwight de Leon | 26/03/2024 19:13 | MEETING. A US congressional delegation pays a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on March 26, 2024.
Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines – The issue of escalating tensions between Manila and Beijing in the West Philippine Sea was put into the spotlight during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s meeting with a US congressional delegation in Malacañang on Tuesday, March 26.
A press release from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the American lawmakers expressed support for the Philippine government in its push to assert its sovereignty in the maritime region.
“We share your concern about China’s aggression with regard to many of the issues around the Philippines. We stand with you and we want to continue to stand by you, and with you, and to push that aggression back appropriately,” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, told Marcos during the courtesy call.
Gillibrand was joined by other lawmakers, namely:
“I hope that the time that you will spend here can be a productive time where we are able to discuss further the situation concerning the Philippines and the geopolitical complications that we are facing presently,” Marcos also told the lawmakers.
The visit comes just a few days after the China Coast Gaurd used water cannons at Philippine resupply boat on its way to BRP Sierra Madre, the dilapidated Philippine Navy ship that serves as the country’s military outpost on the Ayungin Shoal.
The Unaizah May 4 suffered severe damage, and three of its crew members sustained injuries.
Manila subsequently summoned the Chinese embassy’s Charge d’affaires Zhou Zhiyong to protest the harassment tactics used by China during the March 23 mission. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs also questioned the sincerity of China in lowering the tensions in the maritime region.
China claims sovereignty over virtually all of the islands in the South China Sea, and has refused to recognize a 2016 arbitral ruling won by the Philippines, which invalidated Beijing’s nine-dash line.
Marcos is set to fly to Washington in April for a trilateral summit between the Philippines, the US, and Japan. The meeting is expected to yet again zero in on the South China sea problem. – Rappler.com
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Iloilo City placed under state of calamity due to whooping cough outbreak | Jee Geronimo | 26/03/2024 19:42 | SPECIAL SESSION. Sangguniang Panlungsod members of Iloilo City hold special session on March 26, 2024, placing the entire city under state of calamity due to the pertussis outbreak.
Iloilo City Government
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – The city government of Iloilo has been placed under a state of calamity on Tuesday, March 26, due to the outbreak of pertussis or whooping cough.
The state of calamity status was formalized after the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) of Iloilo convened in a special session and approved the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) to activate it.
The declaration came after the City Health Office (CHO)-Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit had officially recorded a total of 16 suspected cases of pertussis, with seven confirmed cases.
In a statement, the city hall said, “With the state of calamity status, the city government can utilize the calamity fund, which will be used to procure medicines and vaccines and for other strengthened measures and responses against the infectious disease.”
On Monday, March 25, the CDRRMC declared an outbreak of pertussis in Iloilo City, which prompted city officials to take action.
“With the declaration, a proposed budget of P16 million has also been approved during the council meeting for the needed measures and responses against pertussis. A big chunk of the fund will go for the procurement of medicines and vaccines,” a portion of the statement read.
Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna, CHO assistant department head, said that more than 26,000 children aged 0 to 59 months from the districts of Molo, Arevalo, Jaro, and Lapuz were being eyed to receive anti-pertussis vaccines.
“If we have an outbreak, we have what we call ‘outbreak response immunization,’ that is why we need additional vaccines. For adults, pregnant women in their third trimester are also high risk, so we will give them the vaccine also because there’s the possibility that they may be a carrier and the baby who is not yet vaccinated will have a big chance to acquire pertussis,” Fortuna said.
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is described by the Department of Health as a “highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection.” This means it can easily spread among people by airborne droplets either through coughs or sneezes. – Rappler.com
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In Malacañang visit, US lawmakers affirm support for PH as row with China worsens | Dwight de Leon | 26/03/2024 19:13 | MEETING. A US congressional delegation pays a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on March 26, 2024.
Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines – The issue of escalating tensions between Manila and Beijing in the West Philippine Sea was put into the spotlight during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s meeting with a US congressional delegation in Malacañang on Tuesday, March 26.
A press release from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the American lawmakers expressed support for the Philippine government in its push to assert its sovereignty in the maritime region.
“We share your concern about China’s aggression with regard to many of the issues around the Philippines. We stand with you and we want to continue to stand by you, and with you, and to push that aggression back appropriately,” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, told Marcos during the courtesy call.
Gillibrand was joined by other lawmakers, namely:
“I hope that the time that you will spend here can be a productive time where we are able to discuss further the situation concerning the Philippines and the geopolitical complications that we are facing presently,” Marcos also told the lawmakers.
The visit comes just a few days after the China Coast Gaurd used water cannons at Philippine resupply boat on its way to BRP Sierra Madre, the dilapidated Philippine Navy ship that serves as the country’s military outpost on the Ayungin Shoal.
The Unaizah May 4 suffered severe damage, and three of its crew members sustained injuries.
Manila subsequently summoned the Chinese embassy’s Charge d’affaires Zhou Zhiyong to protest the harassment tactics used by China during the March 23 mission. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs also questioned the sincerity of China in lowering the tensions in the maritime region.
China claims sovereignty over virtually all of the islands in the South China Sea, and has refused to recognize a 2016 arbitral ruling won by the Philippines, which invalidated Beijing’s nine-dash line.
Marcos is set to fly to Washington in April for a trilateral summit between the Philippines, the US, and Japan. The meeting is expected to yet again zero in on the South China sea problem. – Rappler.com
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Bamban mayor linked to raided POGO in Tarlac | Joann Manabat - CMS | 26/03/2024 16:53 | POGO TO MUNISIPYO. The raided POGO compound in Bamban, Tarlac is located right behind the town's municipal hall.
Joann Manabat/Rappler
TARLAC, Philippines – The mayor of Bamban town in Tarlac is being accused of having links with a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) which was raided recently by law enforcers because of complaints of human trafficking and serious illegal detention.
A team led by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) swooped down on March 13, on the POGO, Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated which had facilities right behind the Bamban municipal hall. The government now calls POGOs as internet gaming licensees (IGL).
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said in a statement Monday, March 25, that there were “damning pieces of evidence that Mayor (Alice) Guo might be involved in the operation of this POGO facility that is now implicated in various criminal activities. The DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) should look closely into the matter.”
Gatchalian filed Senate Resolution No. 977 which aims to conduct an inquiry on human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and physical abuse and torture allegations against the Tarlac POGO.
In a statement, Gatchalian said the documents obtained in the raid included the following:
The SB resolution contained a letter of no objection which approved the application for a license to operate of Hongsheng Gaming Technology Incorporated made by a then private citizen Guo.
Hongsheng was located in the same POGO compound. In February 2023, Hongsheng was raided by the authorities. Three months later, its name was changed to Zun Yuan, per documents obtained by Rappler.
The POGO compound is on a 10-hectare property with 36 structures which included buildings, barracks, and villas, and an Olympic-size swimming pool. Also discovered was secret tunnel, which connected the three villas, according to PAOCC.
Since the raid, eight foreigners and one Filipino have been charged after the preliminary investigation through inquest proceedings.
Bamban town councilor Erdy Timbang also raised questions on the involvement of local officials during the SB regular session.
Rappler tried to reach out to Guo and Timbang but both have not replied. We will update this story once we receive their responses. – Rappler.com
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Hustle Hassle: Na-“Son”? | Vixey Marie | 26/03/2024 17:04 | Art by Andoy Edoria
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Drive worry-free with SM Supermalls’ 50 EV Charging Stations | Marj Casal | 26/03/2024 13:09 | As the Holy Week approaches, many Filipinos are gearing up for a well-deserved break, seeking the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. Whether you’re planning a road trip up north or a leisurely drive down south, you can #ReChargeWithSM through an extensive network of FREE Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) at 50 SM malls around the Philippines, ensuring your journey is smooth, convenient, and eco-friendly.
Before setting off on your Holy Week adventure, drive worry-free as SM Supermalls’ EVCS remain open to serve you, with the exception of The Podium from Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (March 28-29) and SM City Manila, SM San Fernando Downtown and SM San Pedro on Good Friday (March 29).
Now, let’s start your #EVTravelsWithSM with scenic routes and exciting destinations for your Holy Week getaway:
Embark on a historical journey to Bataan, where remnants of World War II stand alongside stunning natural landscapes. Don’t forget to power up before exiting Metro Manila in various EVCS at SM malls, with SM North EDSA and SM Grand Central as your closest stops before hitting NLEX. Before leaving, don’t forget to grab some delicious Bataan peanuts or local handicrafts, such as woven baskets or wooden carvings, as pasalubong options for your loved ones back home. With SM Supermalls’ EVCS branches scattered along the way, including SM Clark and SM Olongapo Downtown, you can recharge your vehicle worry-free while immersing yourself in Bataan’s rich history and scenic beauty.
For those craving seaside adventures, Subic offers a perfect blend of thrills and tranquility. Kickstart your journey with a recharge at SM malls in Metro Manila before heading towards Subic. Recharge your vehicle at SM Clark or SM Olongapo Central. With SM Supermalls’ Head to open outlet stores or grab intricately designed shell crafts as pasalubong for your friends and family. EVCS branches strategically located, including SM Olongapo Downtown, you can enjoy uninterrupted adventures in Subic without worrying about your EV’s battery life.
Escape the summer heat and head to Baguio, the Philippines’ summer capital, for a refreshing mountain getaway. Begin your journey from Metro Manila and make a pitstop at SM North EDSA to charge up your EV. Enroute to Baguio, take in the breathtaking views along Kennon Road or Marcos Highway and recharge your vehicle at SM Baguio or other SM Supermalls’ EVCS branches like SM Tarlac and SM Urdaneta Central. With numerous charging options available, including SM Baguio, you can view Baguio’s attractions such as Burnham Park and Mines View Park with peace of mind from SM’s Sky Terrace. Before heading home, don’t forget to pick up some fresh strawberries or intricately woven Igorot blankets as pasalubong treats too!
Immerse yourself in the culinary delights and cultural treasures of Tuguegarao, the capital of Cagayan province. Begin your journey from Metro Manila and charge your EV at SM North EDSA before hitting the road. From a stop at SM Clark, recharge your vehicle at SM Cabanatuan or SM Tuguegarao Downtown. Stock up on delicious Tuguegarao longganisa or pancit batil patung to bring home. With SM Supermalls’ EVCS branches ensuring reliable charging solutions, you can indulge in Tuguegarao’s local cuisine and heritage sites without any worries.
Experience the laid-back vibe of La Union, known for its surf-worthy waves, golden beaches, and breathtaking sunsets. Kick off your journey from Metro Manila and recharge your EV at SM North EDSA before heading towards La Union to ride the waves and get some locally brewed craft beer or handmade woven accessories. As you drive along the scenic coastal roads, recharge your vehicle at SM Tarlac or SM Urdaneta Central. With SM Supermalls’ EVCS branches conveniently located, including SM Baguio, you can enjoy endless hours of surfing, beach hopping, and sunset watching in La Union.
Escape the city heat and head to Tagaytay, where cool breezes and scenic views await. Start your journey from Metro Manila and charge your EV at SM Mall of Asia or SM Sta. Rosa before hitting the road. As you ascend the winding roads to Tagaytay, enjoy panoramic views of Taal Volcano and recharge your vehicle at SM Sta. Rosa if needed. Don’t forget to make more happy memories at Skyranch Tagaytay and pick up some freshly baked goodies such as the famous Tagaytay buko pie or local delicacies like tawilis (freshwater fish) before heading home. With SM Supermalls’ EVCS branches ensuring convenience, you can savor the cool mountain air and indulge in Tagaytay’s delectable cuisine without worrying about your EV’s battery life.
Explore the natural wonders and cultural gems of Laguna, a province teeming with beauty and history. Begin your journey from Metro Manila and charge your EV at SM Mall of Asia or SM BF Paranaque before setting off. Along the way, immerse yourself in nature at Pagsanjan Falls or discover the artistic heritage of Pila town. Make sure to pick up some local delicacies such as espasol (rice cake), and artisanal crafts like pottery or wood carvings as pasalubong gifts for your family and friends Recharge your vehicle at SM San Pedro if needed, and continue your exploration of Laguna’s wonders with ease, knowing that SM Supermalls’ EVCS branches are there to support your journey.
Embark on a beach getaway to Batangas, where pristine shores and vibrant marine life await. Start your journey from Metro Manila and charge your EV at SM Mall of Asia or SM BF Paranaque before heading south. Recharge your vehicle at SM Lipa if needed, and continue your beach bliss knowing that SM Supermalls’ EVCS branches are there to power your adventure.
Discover the majesty of Mayon Volcano and the flavors of Bicolandia in Legazpi, a city steeped in natural beauty and culinary tradition. Begin your journey from Metro Manila and charge your EV at SM Mall of Asia before embarking on the scenic drive to Legazpi. Along the way, marvel at the picturesque landscapes of Sorsogon or the pristine beaches of Caramoan. Recharge your vehicle at SM Legazpi and explore the wonders of Legazpi, from the fiery beauty of Mayon Volcano to the spicy delights of Bicol Express. Grab some pili nuts or pinangat (taro leaves cooked in coconut milk) and souvenir items like miniature Mayon Volcano figurines or intricately woven abaca products before driving home!
As you embark on your Holy Week adventure, let SM Supermalls’ extensive network of EV Charging Stations guide your way. Vacations in the Visayas and Mindanao can also recharge at SM Cebu, SM Cagayan de Oro Downtown and SM Cagayan de Oro Uptown and SM Lanang in Davao. With FREE charging services in strategically located branches nationwide, you can pack your bags, hit the road and make unforgettable memories this Holy Week with SM Supermalls.
– Rappler.com
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Seeking Holy Week destinations? Explore Cagayan de Oro’s top pilgrimage spots | Herbie G | 26/03/2024 15:23 | CROSSING A RIVER. Devotees cross one of the rivers going to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine located at the boundary of Barangays Balubal and Tablon during the observance of Holy Week in Cagayan de Oro City in 2023.
Cagayan de Oro City Information Office
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – As Catholics worldwide embark on the holiest of weeks, commemorating the pinnacle of Christ’s redemptive journey, Cagayan de Oro emerges as a major Northern Mindanao destination for both pilgrims and tourists seeking to partake in this sacred observance. The vibrant “City of Golden Friendship” and the gateway to Northern Mindanao, beckons visitors with its rich religious heritage.
In keeping with a cherished Filipino tradition, devout believers and curious travelers alike make their way to Cagayan de Oro during Holy Week, drawn by a desire to reflect on Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection.
Amid the city’s bustling streets and serene landscapes, several revered pilgrimage sites and religious landmarks bear witness to the enduring faith of Kagay-anons. From solemn processions to moments of quiet contemplation, Holy Week in Cagayan de Oro offers a diverse array of experiences for pilgrims.
Whether seeking atonement for sins or simply seeking solace in the sacred, visitors are welcome to explore the following top destinations:
The Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, considered by some as one of the most challenging pilgrimage sites to visit in Cagayan de Oro, is a perfect destination for travelers seeking religious devotion.
Located at the boundary of the villages of Balubal and Tablon, it poses a considerable challenge due to the 4.5-kilometer walking route, which includes crossing strong water currents of nine rivers before reaching the shrine. However, pilgrims need not worry about traversing the rivers, as ropes are available for assistance, along with personnel from the barangay, rescue teams, and law enforcement agencies.
In addition to the entrances in Balubal and Tablon, there is also one in Barangay Agusan where devotees can begin their journey. For the current year, the shrine is open from 4 am to 5 pm.
According to the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO), approximately 8,000 religious devotees visited the shrine in 2023, a significant increase from the roughly 4,800 visitors in 2022.
For those who prefer not to get wet, the 14 Stations of the Cross in Sitio Malasag, Barangay Cugman is another popular pilgrimage site and a good destination. People need to trek more or less 3.8 kilometers to complete the stations.
More or less 12,000 people came to Malasag in 2023, according to COCPO, which is higher compared to the 5,000 visitors tallied by Barangay Cugman in 2022.
This year, it is open for pilgrimage from 4 am to 10 pm.
While the Guadalupe Shrine and the Malasag stations are situated on the west side of the city, approximately 30 minutes from the city center, those in the eastern part who prefer shorter travel distances can consider visiting the Camarahan Ridge in Barangay Pagatpat.
There are also images of religious saints that were placed in the area for the observance of Holy Week. This spot is known for its scenic view, where people flock to take selfies.
One of the most popular pilgrimage sites in Northern Mindanao is the Divine Mercy Shrine in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental. It is also one of the country’s most-visited pilgrimage destinations, according to the El Salvador City Tourism Office.
It features a 50-foot statue of Jesus Christ, the Divine Mercy, one of the prominent religious sculptures. It is considered to be one of the tallest religious structures in the region.
It also has a magnificent panorama that can be seen when devotees walk at the two rays – 80 steps each – connected from the statue’s heart.
According to the City Tourism Office, a total of 48,702 devotees visited the shrine during the last Holy Week, slightly lower compared to the more or less 50,000 guests in 2022.
The island province of Camiguin is also one of the popular Holy Week destinations, where devotees do Panaad (vow) by walking the island’s 64-kilometer circumferential road as part of their penance.
The state-run Philippine Information Agency (PIA) said about 20,000 devotees flocked to the island to take part in the activity during the Holy Week in 2023.
These are just some of the pilgrimage sites that can be visited. There are still a lot more, especially in other provinces in the region. At each of these sites, the devout find sanctuary for prayer and reflection, while tourists are afforded a glimpse into the profound spirituality that permeates the city.
As the echoes of hymns fill the air and the fragrance of incense wafts through old churches, visitors are invited to immerse themselves in Cagayan de Oro’s and Northern Mindanao’s rich Holy Week traditions.
Whether you come as a pilgrim seeking penance or a traveler in search of spiritual enlightenment, Cagayan de Oro and its neighboring provinces promise an unforgettable journey during this sacred time of year. – Rappler.com
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Police intensify BARMM security as region’s Christian minority observes Holy Week | Herbie G | 26/03/2024 12:16 | ALERT. Bangsamoro police officials discuss the deployment of police officers in the region during Holy Week.
PNP-BARMM
GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – Police have heightened security measures throughout the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), deploying close to 1,300 officers to safeguard crucial installations, including churches, during the Holy Week.
Brigadier General Allan Nobleza announced on Monday, March 25, that police personnel would rotate duties to protect land transport terminals, airports, seaports, parks, public areas, and churches where many non-Muslims are expected to gather in the predominantly Muslim region in the coming days.
The BARMM hosts the smallest number of Christians, predominantly Catholics, nationwide. According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), approximately 91% of the region’s inhabitants are Muslims, while around 5.3% or 261,963 individuals identify as Catholics.
The Brussels-based nonprofit organization International Crisis Group estimated the Christian population in the BARMM to be at least 200,000. Notably, areas such as Upi and South Upi in the two Maguindanao provinces comprise the majority of this demographic.
The Crisis Group also noted sizeable Christian communities in Wao town in Lanao del Sur, Lamitan in Basilan, and various villages in the Maguindanao area and the BARMM’s Special Geographic Area in Cotabato province.
Nobleza said the government also has a standby force ready for deployment, particularly in the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, and Basilan, should the need arise.
He clarified though that there have been no credible threats monitored in the BARMM during the Holy Week, adding that the security measures are in place solely to ensure authorities can promptly respond to emergency situations.
Meanwhile, authorities in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao del Norte raised the alert level on Monday night following reports of an armed group allegedly preparing to launch attacks in the town center. Military and police authorities emphasized that they are taking such threats seriously.
This came after the Karialan faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) claimed responsibility for the March 17 ambush that resulted in the deaths of four soldiers in neighboring Maguindanao del Sur province. The faction warned of further attacks in retaliation for recent military offensives that have claimed the lives of several of its members.
Abu Sapyun, spokesperson of the BIFF faction, said they were out to avenge the deaths of Abdul Kader Animbang and Hamidi Animbang, brother and nephew of BIFF leader Kagi Karialan.
On Friday dawn, March 22, soldiers killed a senior BIFF leader, Abu Halil, during an encounter in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao del Sur.
Halil served as the training officer for the BIFF-Karialan faction and was a brother of Khadafi Abdulatif, purportedly the group’s chief of staff, according to Brigadier General Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Brigade combat team.
Brigadier General Oriel Pangcog, commander of the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade, said their orders were to eliminate the remaining BIFF forces in their area of responsibility by the end of March.
“We will continue to carry out our duties undeterred,” Pangcog said. – Rappler.com
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Instant impact: Brownlee stars for Pelita Jaya in Indonesia League debut | Jasmine Payo | 24/03/2024 11:38 | TAKE CHARGE. Pelita Jaya’s Justin Brownlee goes for a shot against RANS Simba’s Argus Sanyudy in the Indonesian Basketball League.
Pelita Jaya Basketball Instagram page
MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas superstar Justin Brownlee wasted no time making an impact in the Indonesian Basketball League.
In only his first game with Pelita Jaya, Brownlee immediately showcased his wares and powered the Jakarta-based ball club to a dominant 85-67 win over RANS Simba Bogor on Saturday, March 23.
Brownlee posted a double-double of 14 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in nearly 28 minutes of play as a starter for Pelita Jaya, which notched its eighth win in nine matches.
Thanks to Brownlee’s hot hands in the second quarter, Pelita Jaya managed to build a decisive 45-36 halftime edge over RANS Simba after trailing by two points at the end of the opening period.
The Barangay Ginebra resident import pumped in 8 of his 14 points on a perfect 4-of-4 field goal clip in the pivotal second frame, where Pelita Jaya outscored RANS Simba, 24-13.
Brownlee formed a deadly trio with former PBA reinforcements Thomas Robinson and KJ McDaniels as the two big men also produced double-doubles in the dominant win.
Robinson, who suited up for the NLEX Road Warriors in the recent PBA Commissioner’s Cup, came up with a nearly identical stat line as Brownlee with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
Meanwhile, McDaniels, who had stops with the TNT Tropang Giga, NLEX, and the Meralco Bolts, added 13 markers and 10 boards.
Joshua Caldwell paced RANS Simba with a game-high 20 points, while Le’Bryan Nash contributed 18.
Pelita Jaya will get plenty of rest before it returns to action on April 17 versus Bima Perkasa Jogja.
Pelita Jaya 85 – Brownlee 14, Robinson 14, McDaniels 13, Fahdani Guntara 11, Dhyaksa 10, Jr 8, Jawato 6, Arighi 4, Kosasih 3, Goantara 2, Saudale 0, Rachman 0.
RANS Simba 67 – Caldwell 20, Nash 18, Oostrum 10, Satrio 5, Shihab 4, Wongso 4, Jordan 4, Sanyudy 2, Salamena 0, Nuban 0, Sanjaya 0, Kuntara 0.
Quarters: 21-23, 45-36, 63-55, 85-67.
– Rappler.com
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Sipalay’s ‘barungoy’: From fish to annual kite festival delight in Negros Occidental | Herbie G | 26/03/2024 13:24 | KITE PARADE. Participants showcase their colorful kites during the 10th Burangoy Tourism Kite Festival on March 23, 2024, in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.
Sipalay Tourism Office
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – The barungoy, also known as the flying fish, is highly sought after by fishermen in some parts of the country because it is easy to catch. However, in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, its distinctive kite-like features have led to the birth of a kite festival, which has become one of the major attractions of the city.
The 10th Burangoy Tourism Kite Festival featured various art workshops, culminating in a kite competition on Saturday, March 23, at Poblacion Beach in Sipalay.
To avoid confusion, barungoy refers to the fish while burangoy refers to the kite festival. Jerick Lacson, Sipalay City’s tourism officer, explained to Rappler on Monday, March 25, that burangoy is a portmanteau of burador, a Hiligaynon word for kite, and barungoy (flying fish).
Lacson said the abundance of barungoy, which resembles a kite, and the residents’ tradition of flying kites inspired the city to combine culture and nature’s riches into a celebration, starting in 2012.
The city was recognized as the “Kite Tourism Capital of the Philippines” by the Kite Association of the Philippines (KAP) in 2022, and the kite festival has been regarded as the largest and longest kite-flying event in the province of Negros Occidental, Lacson said.
“The kite-making tradition has always been part of Filipino culture, not only in Sipalay but also in other places in the country. We have participants who are senior citizens, and they have been enjoying kite making and kite flying since their childhood years,” he said.
Lacson added that “the livelihood component came into life because of the kite festival, where we have formed a local group of kite enthusiasts who are also making kites to be sold during events as souvenirs.”
Sipalay was once home to the largest copper mine in Southeast Asia and was considered a mining community in the 1950s. The city began to shift its economy to tourism as its primary source of income in the year 2000.
Edgar Santeniaman, the president of Sipalay’s kite makers’ group, said the annual festival is an opportunity for local kite craftsmen to showcase their work to visitors and earn income at the same time.
Santeniaman said he has been making kites since he was young, a skill passed down by his grandfather, who was also a native of the southern Negros city.
“Sang una, ang pag-himo sang burador, hampang-hampang lang na, asta nga na-andan na sang mga tawo nga mag-ubra nga yara sa kilid sang baybay,” he said.
(Making kites was once just a leisure activity until it became a tradition for the people living near the city’s seashore.)
The Sipalay City Agriculture Office said the most prevalent fish in the city is barungoy, with an annual catch volume of 159,910 kilograms. This significantly surpasses the catch volume of bansi, another type of flying fish, which stands at 2,250.90 kilograms annually, and dorado (Dolphin fish) with an annual catch volume of 1,491.70 kilograms.
Lacson said the annual event has served as a symbol of inclusivity and community involvement since its inception, attracting participants of all backgrounds.
“With the festivity, people regardless of age, gender, or preference, can fly a kite. It is also a perfect time for families to convene and enjoy each other’s company. By this, we can help preserve the tradition of kite making,” he said.
The festival also aims to attract economic growth by drawing tourists, which, in turn, would generate revenue for businesses, supporting local kite and souvenir makers, among others.
For Lacson, the flying fish symbolizes hope for a city to soar higher and fly while being held humbly on the ground.
“Just like a flying fish, modest in size yet remarkably capable, its presence can uplift and sustain others. Just as the flying fish provides sustenance to those who depend on it, so too can our contributions nourish and support those around us,” he said.
Before the kite competition proper, various kite art workshops were conducted at three different primary educational institutions in the city, including Cambogui-ot Elementary School in Barangay Camindangan, Nabulao Elementary School in Nabulao village, and Canturay Elementary School in Barangay Canturay.
Lacson said that the children were trained to create their kites using their creativity, fostering an appreciation for kite flying as both a cultural and leisure activity.
The competition this year attracted 71 participants, according to Lacson. Of these, 32 joined the flat kites category, nine participated in the figure kites category, 20 participated in the 3D geometric kites category, and 10 joined the barungoy/flying fish kite category.
The winners of the kite-flying competition were Jonathan Angre for the barungoy/flying fish category, Rowygin Adraneda in the 3D geometric kites category, Joemar Dagle in the figure kite category, and Niño Joseph Rosales in the flat kite category. In the special prizes category,
Rowygin Adraneda won for the longest kite, Jonathan Angre won for the most unique kite, and Niño Joseph Rosales took home the trophy for the biggest kite.
Lacson estimated that the total number of spectators present during the festival was 2,000 individuals, believed to be the largest since the inception of the annual gathering. – Rappler.com
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Here’s the step-by-step process of getting national IDs for kids aged 1 to 4 | Ralf Rivas | 26/03/2024 13:52 | NATIONAL ID. Cherry Benitez of Sampaloc, Manila registers her two-year-old daughter, Chloe, to PhilSys.
PSA
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) encouraged parents to register their children aged one to four in the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) and get their national ID.
“The PSA is continually making efforts to make the registration process child-friendly; our registration personnel are ready to assist our young registrants and their parents in the process,” said PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa.
Here’s the step-by-step process.
First, go to the nearest PSA regional or provincial offices. Parents can also go to malls or local government unit registration centers. The parent or guardian must be registered with PhilSys first.
Registration centers are open to walk-in registrations. Filipinos can also take advantage of PSA’s mobile registration activities for Geographically-Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) or for those who have no means to visit any registration centers.
Present any of the following supporting documents:
The PhilSys Number (PSN) or permanent identification number of the child that will be generated will be linked to the accompanying parent or guardian.
After the PSA personnel validates the information of the child, the front-facing photograph of the child will be captured. When the child reaches the age of five, the child’s complete biometric information be captured, including the fingerprints, iris scan, and the updated front-facing photograph.
For children aged 5 and above, the PSA said registration activities are also conducted in schools to register students.
Registration services are also provided to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries and their children during Family Development Sessions.
The PSA said over 84.7 million Filipinos have registered in PhilSys as of March 2024. – Rappler.com
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GAME SCHEDULE: 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference | jisaga0269 | 27/04/2024 22:53 | PVL Images
The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) heads to another title showdown between the league’s top sister teams!
Defending champion Creamline and sister squad Choco Mucho dispute the PVL All-Filipino championship for the second straight conference in a best-of-three series. Here’s the schedule:
It’s all even again for the top four teams.
The semifinalists of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference battle in a single round-robin, where the top two teams will advance to the best-of-three finals. Here’s the schedule:
Near-daily volleyball is back to satisfy fans’ hunger for action as the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) releases its 2024 All-Filipino Conference schedule, starting on February 20.
The development comes after the UAAP also released its Season 86 men’s and women’s volleyball tournament schedules on a Wednesday-Saturday-Sunday rotation.
The PVL, meanwhile, stays in its usual Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday slate, kicking off Tuesday, February 20, at the PhilSports Arena with a double-header featuring newcomers Strong Group Athletics and Capital1 taking on contenders Petro Gazz and Chery Tiggo, respectively.
Capping off the conference’s first week is an appearance at the Araneta Coliseum, with reloaded Farm Fresh challenging the Creamline dynasty in the 6 pm triple-header main event.
Fans outside NCR, however, will have fewer chances to see their favorite PVL stars live unlike the past conference, as only the Ynares Center in Antipolo, Rizal and the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna are the announced venues away from Metro Manila.
The season-starting All-Filipino Conference is scheduled to run for three months until May 14 at the maximum, unless plans change.
Other notable elimination round matches are Choco Mucho vs. Petro Gazz on February 27, Petro Gazz vs Creamline on April 6, PLDT vs Chery Tiggo featuring multiple former F2 Logistics veterans on April 16, and the Creamline-Choco Mucho finals rematch on April 18.
Here is the entire conference schedule, as of Wednesday, February 14:
– Rappler.com
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NTC orders internet providers to block Binance | Ralf Rivas | 25/03/2024 18:50 | BINANCE. The Binance app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken July 13, 2021.
Dado Ruvic/Reuters
MANILA, Philippines – The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered internet service providers to block cryptocurrency giant Binance in the Philippines, upon the request of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In a statement released on Tuesday, March 26, the NTC said internet service providers are given up to five days to report on their action regarding the directive.
UPDATE: The NTC directs internet service providers to immediately block Binance.“The ISPs were given by the NTC a period of not later than five (5) days from receipt of saidMemorandum, to submit a report on the action taken regarding said directive.”@rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/ZX6rfLAmRY
The SEC had warned the investing public against using Binance in November 2023, noting that it had yet to secure a license to operate from the commission.
In a letter dated March 12 sent to the NTC, SEC Chairperson Emilio Aquino said Binance “poses a threat to the security of the funds of investing Filipinos.”
Binance is the world’s largest crypto trading platform, with an average daily trading volume of $65 billion covering over 400 cryptocurrencies. According to its website, it has over 183 million users worldwide.
In 2023, the SEC gave investors time to pull out their funds from the platform.
It noted that enablers of the app may also be criminally liable and may be penalized with a maximum fine of P5 million or imprisonment of up to 21 years.
Binance earlier said it is committed to aligning with local regulators and that it took steps to address the SEC’s concerns.
The SEC’s latest move comes just a month after the NTC ordered all internet service providers to block websites and apps of OctaFX and MiTrade. – Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: Online DSWD form for education aid is fake | Lorenz Pasion | 26/03/2024 13:02 | Claim: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) posted an online application form for its 2024 education assistance program.
Why we fact-checked this: Multiple misleading graphics carrying the claim were posted on TikTok and viewed over 24,900 times as of writing.
The photos used the logo of the DSWD to promote its alleged 2024 education cash assistance program that offers P2,000 for kindergarten and pre-school students, P3,000 for elementary students, P4,000 for junior high school students, P5,000 for senior high school students, and P6,000 for college students.
The TikTok account that posted the claim, which has over 151,700 followers, instructed potential applicants to click the link on its bio that directs to an unverified external website that may put the public’s personal information at risk.
The facts: The application form for the supposed education assistance is fake and not from the DSWD.
In a post on its official Facebook account on March 14, the agency said it does not ask for any personal information online to apply for “educational assistance” because it is prohibited under the Data Privacy Act.
The DSWD also urged the public to verify the information they read online, especially if it does not come from a credible source, to avoid being victims of scams. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing)
Fake application form: The post claims to offer an online version of DSWD’s Social Amelioration Card (SAC), a profiling tool the agency uses to identify potential beneficiaries for its Social Amelioration Program intended to help Filipinos during the COVID-19 lockdown.
According to the DSWD’s special guidelines, the SAC form is distributed at the barangay level and is the agency’s mechanism for beneficiaries to access the government’s social amelioration programs.
Education assistance: The DSWD offers education aid through its “Tara, BASA! Tutoring Program” which is their “re-formatted” program that offers education assistance through cash-for-work interventions for low-income families.
Launched on August 2, 2023, the program aims to help low-income college students complete their tertiary education while engaging them in nation-building. Under the program, college students can earn P570 per day for 20 days by assisting Grade 1 students who are either struggling readers or non-readers.
Aside from the tutoring program, the DSWD also offers education aid through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.
Previous fact-checks: Rappler has debunked fake education assistance programs supposedly offered by the DSWD:
For official updates on DSWD programs and services, refer to its official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube accounts. – Larry Chavez/Rappler.com
Larry Chavez is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. You may also report dubious claims to the #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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LOOK: P-pop groups BINI, G22 to participate in Lay Zhang’s ‘Show It All’ | Ysa Abad | 26/03/2024 12:57 | MANILA, Philippines – P-pop continues to make waves in the international scene as girl groups BINI and G22 are confirmed to join the Chinese show Show It All.
Both BINI and G22 confirmed their participation in the show by sharing a video message on Monday, March 25.
The two groups said that they had “heard that Show It All launched a new stage to the world” and that they just had to join it. G22 also added that they’ll be “serving [fans] with a banging and booming performance.”
A teaser released on Monday also showed that aside from BINI and G22, other girl groups from across the world will also make an appearance in Show It All, including DOLLA from Malaysia, PiXXie from Thailand, and Boys World from the United States.
PH represent! 🇵🇭 Ready to SHOW IT ALL this April! #ShowItAll #G22 #G22AJ #G22Alfea #G22Jaz pic.twitter.com/0vLhOzPJKW
Show It All is a survival program featuring trainees from Lay Zhang’s entertainment company who aim to be part of the next big girl group. While there’s no confirmation yet from the show’s producers, fans are guessing that inviting groups from other countries will serve as a way to test the trainees.
Its pilot episode will be aired on March 28 via the MangoTV app.
Composed of AJ, Alfea, and Jaz, G22 is a three-member girl group under Cornerstone Entertainment that debuted in February 2022. Dubbed as “P-Pop’s Female Alphas,” they are best known for their banger songs “BANG!,” “Boomerang,” and “LOKA.”
Meanwhile, BINI has eight members — Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Mikha, Gwen, Stacey, Sheena, and Jhoanna. The “Nation’s Girl Group” debuted in June 2021 under ABS-CBN’s Star Music. Their hits include “Pantropiko,” “Salamin, Salamin,” “Karera,” “Na Na Na,” and “Lagi.” – Rappler.com
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How a former Cebu City gov’t Facebook page became a ‘propaganda’ tool | Chay Hofilena | 26/03/2024 10:27 | READ: PART 2 | How social media ownership dispute stirred Cebu City politics
The Cebu City government on February 5, 2024, filed a complaint against operators of a Facebook page that, it claims, had usurped management powers of its Public Information Office (PIO).
Estela Grace Rosit, who has been assistant Cebu City PIO head since March, and who had served as the PIO head when the case was filed, lodged a complaint against private individuals Erwin Dela Cerna and Christian Tura, program hosts of the Cebu Updates Facebook page. She cited illegal access and computer-related identity theft under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (READ: It’s complicated: Cebu claims Facebook page ownership, files complaint).
The case highlights the problems caused by the absence of social media management policies among local government units (LGUs) that could make their social media accounts official and institutional.
The city government is asserting ownership of the Cebu Updates page – which had previously served as its official PIO Facebook page – and is bent on regaining ownership.
Rosit, in her judicial complaint-affidavit, claimed that Dela Cerna and Tura “unlawfully entered” the page without legitimate authority, as they are neither administrators nor officers affiliated with the city government PIO.
Some posts from its time as a city PIO page in 2017 are still accessible online as of writing.
A quick visit to the Transparency section of Cebu Updates also reveals its name change history, from its original identity as the Cebu City PIO page in 2012.
The city government claims there was a proper turnover of the Facebook page from the time of Mayor Michael Rama in 2012 all the way to the succeeding mayors.
However, it failed to compel the previous administration’s personnel to turn over the login credentials of the page to the current PIO. This failure was exacerbated by the lack, if not absence, of a written policy governing the city’s social media accounts.
The city government has filed charges against only two individuals visible on the Cebu Updates page, possibly due to lack of evidence or basis to include other personalities.
Assuming they attempted to regain control of the page, the city government’s PIO likely knew who the previous managers were. The names of these previous managers, however, have yet to surface in a formal complaint as respondents.
Caesar Wenefrido Eviota, also known as Cerwin Eviota, stated in his affidavit that upon his appointment as Public Information Office head by Mayor Rama – following the passing of then-mayor Edgardo Labella in November 2021 – he requested the transfer of access and administration rights for the official Facebook page of Cebu City, then named as “Cebu City Public Information Office.”
However, Eviota claimed that the officer-in-charge of the previous administration, Razel Cuizon, “ignored and subsequently refused” to hand over control of the page.
Cuizon was sought for comment several times, but gave no response.
What’s clear is that the city government failed to regain ownership of the page and the current PIO has had to repurpose another page, renaming it “Cebu City News & Information,” which now functions as the city’s official Facebook page.
The former PIO page has turned into a tool for “propaganda ruthlessly manipulated to serve the self-interests of its administrators,” Rosit claimed. “It has become a breeding ground for the spreading of fake news and maligning Cebu City government officials, all fueled by a relentless vendetta against the current administration,” she added.
Political propaganda, in this case, refers to the spreading of biased information, often with the goal of swaying public opinion and advancing a political agenda.
Rama, along with Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, are among the few personalities in Cebu City who have publicly announced their bid for reelection in the May 2025 midterm elections. (READ: Tandem of Rama, Garcia seeking reelection in 2025 Cebu City polls)
While Cebu Updates aims to present fairly readable content, with some considered media service, it does not hide its dislike of the Rama administration. A majority of the 291 posts on Cebu Updates from February 8 to February 21 (posting period randomly selected), were Rama-related.
During that two-week period, the top five topics of its original and shared content were Rama- and city hall-related, with 73 posts, followed by shared posts from news and media organizations (61), entertainment posts (39), shared posts from government agencies (38), and public service announcements (18), such as traffic situation updates in Cebu, among others.
Other posts of Cebu Updates for this period included original livestreamed shows of its program hosts, including Dela Cerna and Tura, shared posts from Facebook pages of churches like the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, shared posts of current and former government officials, and shared posts from business establishments and non-government organizations.
Moreover, of its 292 Facebook posts from March 2 to March 14 (posting period randomly selected), the majority, or 61, were shared posts from news outlets, followed by original posts (including prompts, announcements, greetings and promotions of products/establishments) at 53; Rama- and city hall-related posts (52); entertainment posts (34); shared posts from other politicians (22); public service announcements (on traffic, travel schedule, and school announcement) at 20; shared posts from government agencies and local government units (17); shared church-related posts (17), and Facebook Live of its program hosts (16).
It is important to note, however, that most of the Rama-related and city hall-related content were criticisms of the current administration. Some of Cebu Updates’ posts openly called for Rama’s resignation, with a few of the page’s posts having hashtags such as #RamaNeverAgain and #SaveCebuCity.
Several posts also referred to the mayor of Cebu City as “toxic mayor.”
“Mayor Mike Rama mo larga nasad daw ka sa Taiwan? Onsa man ka oy, wala najud kay pakabana sa syudad? Looy kaayo sige lang kag happy2x #SaveCebuCity,” read a February 21 post of Cebu Updates.
(Mayor Mike Rama, are you leaving for Taiwan again? What’s wrong with you? Don’t you have any concern for the city anymore? It’s really pitiful; you just keep being happy-go-lucky. #SaveCebuCity.)
Although it now labels itself as a media/news company, the Cebu Updates page lacks fundamental journalistic practices, such as transparency and impartiality. The page, for instance, has not completed Meta’s verification process as of this writing.
The Cebu Updates page earlier said the case will not hinder it from “fearlessly” sharing issues in Cebu and other parts of the world. (READ: FB page won’t stop exposing CH anomalies)
“Rest assured that this case will not stop us from fearlessly sharing with you the hottest issues, news, & tsismiz in Cebu, the Philippines & the world,” it said in a February 9 post.
The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor has yet to determine if the complaint filed by city hall has probable cause. But in their joint counter-affidavit dated March 11, 2024, Dela Cerna and Tura denied the allegations against them and requested the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor to dismiss the complaint for lack of probable cause.
The respondents said that contrary to the complainant’s accusations, they are not administrators of the Facebook page “Cebu Updates” as they are “mere talents or anchors invited to conduct live broadcast.”
“We also did not deliberately rename the page from ‘Cebu City Public Information Office’ to ‘Cebu Updates’ since we are not administrators of the page who are capacitated to make any such change,” reads a portion of their joint counter-affidavit.
Sought for comment, lawyer Shana Alexandra Perez of the city legal office, in an interview on Viber on March 21, 2024, maintained that there is probable cause to indict Tura and Dela Cerna for the crimes of illegal access and computer-related identity theft “because the complainant has appended all proofs to substantiate her complaint.”
Perez also said they brought the matter to Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to contest the page’s ownership, but they have yet to receive a response.
Tura and Dela Cerna’s joint counter-affidavit did not indicate who the lawyers representing them are, but a source privy to the information confirmed that the law office representing Tura and Dela Cerna is the E.C Labella and Partners Law Office.
A copy of the Motion for Extension of Time to File Counter-Affidavit, signed and filed by lawyers Niño Anthony Silvestrece and Janica Tujan of E.C Labella, indicated they serve as legal counsel for Dela Cerna.
According to the motion for extension, Dela Cerna received a copy of an order dated February 12 on February 20, directing him to submit his counter-affidavit and other supporting evidence or documents to refute the complainant’s evidence within 10 days, or by March 1, upon receipt.
However, Dela Cerna’s lawyers, in the motion for extension, said they had just been recently engaged to represent Dela Cerna in the case, and due to time constraints, requested a 10-day extension until March 11.
Jerone Castillo, former city attorney leading the city legal office in this case, in earlier interviews, said cases will soon be filed against more individuals.
Interviews were sought with other individuals who had been seen doing live broadcasts on the Cebu Updates’ page, including a certain Jun Tumulak, “Dagmasla Zeus Sebastian,” and lawyer Floro Casas Jr., who was city administrator during the time of the late mayor Edgardo Labella, but to no avail.
Casas previously admitted to being an administrator of the page in an interview with SunStar columnist and former SunStar editor-in-chief, lawyer Pachico Seares.
In an effort to get his side, Casas was contacted through text messages on February 15, 17, and March 18, 2024, but to no avail. Likewise, calls made on February 17 and March 18 were also canceled. Casas also blocked this writer on Facebook Messenger after an interview was sought, following the filing of the cases against Tura and Dela Cerna, on February 6.
Casas, it was discovered, is affiliated with the E.C Labella & Partners Law Office, where his LinkedIn account indicates he is managing partner – a fact also reflected in his Facebook bio.
While Castillo mentioned possible libel cases, what’s sure now is that the city government is challenging only the page’s ownership and has not yet addressed legally the content posted by the page.
The city government decided to lodge the complaint against individuals behind Cebu Updates only in February 2024 – more than a year after the page was reportedly usurped by “outsiders.” (To be concluded) – Rappler.com
NEXT: Part 2 | How social media ownership dispute stirred Cebu City politics
Wenilyn Sabalo is a community journalist currently affiliated with SunStar Cebu and is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow of Rappler for 2023-2024.
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Saintfiet confident, hopes for ‘miracle’ as PH men’s football team hosts Iraq | delfin.dioquino editor | 25/03/2024 22:28 | SQUAD. The Philippine men's football team in action against Iraq in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers.
Philippine Football Federation
MANILA, Philippines – Head coach Tom Saintfiet expressed confidence that the Philippine men’s football team is capable of pulling off another terrific performance against Iraq in the second leg of their back-to-back matches in the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifiers.
Losing by just a point to the heavily favored Iraqis on the road last March 22, 1-0, the Filipinos host the Lions of Mesopotamia at the Rizal Memorial Stadium at 7 pm on Tuesday, March 26, with hopes of pulling off a giant upset.
“I saw a fantastic, committed, disciplined team with a lot of potential, knowing that we had very limited time to work together,” said Saintfiet, who has only been with the team for a month.
“We are confident that we will have a good performance and we hope this time, it will be enough to get also some points.”
Saintfiet admitted it would be a tall order for his wards to clinch a win worth 3 points in the standings against Iraq, which sits on top of Group F with 9 points after winning all of its first three matches.
“I sure hope that we can at least win minimal of a point and hopefully it’ll be a miracle to win three points,” said the Belgian tactician.
“[I]t’s not always easy to compete with them and Iraq is one of the strongest in the region, but you never know.”
Coaching in his first-ever competitive match in the Philippines, Saintfiet pointed out the importance of having the home crowd back the team up as the Filipinos shoot for a breakthrough win.
“It will always be an advantage, it’s our ground, players are used to play on the pitch, it’s our climate, players are used to playing in the climate, and it’s our crowd who will cheer for us and hopefully the stands are all in blue – we will play in blue – so come all in blue,” said Saintfiet.
Defender Amani Aguinaldo said having fans on their side will be crucial for the Philippines’ homestand.
“As much as possible, we want to keep a clean sheet and hope for the best against Iraq ‘cause now it’s a different game, we’re not playing against their team and 65,000 fans, we’re playing at home with our fans,” said Aguinaldo.
Heading into their fourth match in the second round of the joint qualifiers, the Filipinos still have a shot at gaining outright qualification to the next round by finishing second in Group F, which also includes Indonesia and Vietnam.
World No. 139 Philippines is currently at the bottom of the group with 1 point and a -3 goal difference, but an upset victory over Iraq will push its tally to 4 points and improve its negative goal difference.
Indonesia occupies second place in Group F with 4 points and a -3 goal difference, while Vietnam is third with 3 points and a flat 0 goal difference.
World No. 59 Iraq leads all four teams with 9 points and a +6 goal difference.
“The Philippines did a great job in the last match and the [Rizal Memorial Stadium] grass is artificial and it’s a question to worry us, but I hope my team will be in a great level to win this match,” said Iraq head coach Jesus Casas Garcia. – Rappler.com
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At least 17 burn to death, 4 others hurt in Cotabato road mishap | Herbie G | 25/03/2024 20:16 | CHARRED. People watch after a commuter van burst into flames, killing at least 17 passengers, after it collided with a dump truck in Antipas town, Cotabato province on Monday, March 25.
Antipas PNP photo
GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – The death toll from a road accident in Antipas town, Cotabato province, on Monday, March 25, rose to 17 after a commuter van collided with a dump truck along a highway, bursting into flames upon impact.
Of the 18 passengers in the commuter van, only one – Rosario Reyes – survived and remains hospitalized in Antipas, said Captain Godofredo Tupas II, Antipas police chief.
Investigators have yet to identify a male and a female among the van passengers who died.
Tupas said the 49-year-old driver of the truck, Edwin Dumapias Panoy, along with his companions – Wilmark Panoy, 27, and Gregorio Casiño – were rushed to a hospital.
Based on Tupas’ list, 15 of those who died in the accident were:
The commuter van burst into flames after impact, burning several passengers trapped inside and thrown off nearby, after colliding with the dump truck around noon in Barangay Luhong, Antipas town, said Cotabato police director Colonel Gilbert Balneg Tuzon.
A video clip circulating on social media showed a group of men attempting to approach one of the helpless victims who called for help. However, the group retreated as the fire rapidly spread. Along with several other onlookers, they watched in horror as the victim burned.
Tupas said it took the police some time to identify some of the victims due to the lack of identification documents in their possession.
“Walang mga ID, nasunog ang mga gamit (They had no IDs, their belongings were burned),” he said.
He said the investigation showed that the wrecked van was dragged by the dump truck for about 50 meters before it burst into flames.
The police official said an initial investigation found that the truck’s brakes malfunctioned, and the driver lost control of the vehicle on a downhill curve and rammed the oncoming van.
Tupas said investigators were also looking into why the van burst into flames. – Rappler.com
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View from Manila: ‘Tama na, Lord’ | Bea Cupin | 26/03/2024 7:43 | WATER CANNON. A China Coast Guard ship uses a water cannon against the Unaizah May 4, a wooden boat contracted by the Philippine military to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, on March 23, 2024.
Screengrab from Armed Forces of the Philippines video
MANILA, Philippines – When the Unaizah May 4 approached Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea for a second time in a month, it was greeted by a familiar and violent foe: water cannons from the China Coast Guard (CCG).
On Saturday, March 23, out at sea, the wooden ship held on, but barely.
GMA News’ exclusive video taken from inside the Unaizah May 4 showed military personnel scrambling around an already-drenched ship deck as China’s water cannon imposed its way from one side of the ship to the other.
“Tama na, Lord (Lord, please stop this),” said one of the people in the video, before another blast of water shot through the ship.
The water cannons from the CCG went on for over an hour (according to videos from the Armed Forces of the Philippines). The Unaizah May 4 suffered “severe damage” while Navy personnel on board also reported injuries. The video taken from inside the ship would suggest it’s a miracle that nobody got seriously hurt.
China reasoned out its use of water cannons, dangerous maneuvers, and blocking to push away the much-smaller Unaizah May 4 and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels. It said its CCG and Chinese Maritime Military “firmly [obstructed] the Philippines’ vessels, and [foiled] the Philippines’ attempt.”
Manila called China out for what those actions actually were: “Illegal and irresponsible actions belies its hollow claims to peace, dialogue, and adherence to international law.”
The Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año was a lot less diplomatic in his words for Beijing.
“Their actions are illegal, coercive, aggressive and even deceptive. This is just an ordinary rotation and resupply or provision operation but look at how the Chinese are reacting, it’s as if it’s already the end of the world. So it’s really humiliating themselves in front of the world,” he told the media in an interview on Sunday, March 24.
“We will continue to do this, we will not be deterred, we will not be intimidated because it is our right and we have to protect our soldiers, our sailors there at BRP Sierra Madre,” said Año, a day before he met with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and other National Security Agency heads on what to recommend to the President.
We have seen the CCG chase or chase away Philippine ships in Ayungin Shoal before.
The Unaizah May 4’s sister ships, the Unaizah May 1 and Uniazah May 2, as well as the M/L Kalayaan, bare battlescars from those missions – dents and damage from collisions, allisions, and the CCG’s water cannons. All three ships are still being repaired.
But the intensity of the CCG’s actions on March 23, shown through video released by both the PCG and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in near-real time, was difficult to watch. But if you still want to, the clip is right here:
At one point, a CCG ship sailed backwards at what looked like high-speed, in an attempt to block the Unaizah May 4.
According to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, harassment began even before daybreak – CCG and CMM ships “worked in tandem” against the PCG vessels and the Unaizah May 4.
The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), freshly incensed over a Chinese official in Manila’s disclosure of confidential discussions, made three protests over the March 23 Ayungin incident – a summon in Manila, a protest in Beijing, and a phone call from Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro.
The mission, which happens at least once a month, is meant to bring soldiers and supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, an area just over 100 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan.
The World War II-era vessel, purposefully run aground in 1999, now serves as a symbol of both the Philippines’ ingenuity and resilience, but also its military and material shortcomings.
The latest dangerous incident in Ayungin Shoal happened just days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Manila and the White House’s announcement that it would be hosting in April the first-ever US-Japan-Philippines leaders summit.
The US, a treaty-ally of the Philippines, said China’s actions are “destabilizing to the region and show clear disregard for international law.” Japan, through its embassy in Manila, reiterated its “grave concern on the repeated dangerous actions by CCG in SCS which resulted in Filipino injuries.”
Blinken, in a joint presser with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, said the US has a “shared concern about the PRC’s actions that threaten our common vision for a free, open Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and in the Philippines exclusive economic zone.”
“Repeated violations of international law and the rights of the Philippines – water cannons, blocking maneuvers, close shadowing, other dangerous operations – these waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy, but they’re also critical to the interests of the region, the United States, and the world,” said Blinken on March 19, as he reaffirmed that the Mutual Defense Treaty would extend to armed attacks, including against the PCG, in the South China Sea.
Just two days after Blinken’s visit to Manila, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Okano Masataka hosted Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and the Philippines’ Undersecretary Lazaro in Tokyo to “deepen trilateral cooperation among the United States, Japan, and the Philippines.”
“Deputy Secretary Campbell, Vice Foreign Minister Okano, and Undersecretary Lazaro reiterated their collective commitment to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and East China Sea,” the State Department said in a readout.
All eyes are on the burgeoning relationship among the three countries – a mix that would probably make the heads of Filipinos who survived the Japanese and American occupation’s spin.
But it is a relationship that makes sense, especially as tensions in the West Philippine Sea and unease over the situation in Taiwan rise. Both Manila and Tokyo are treaty allies of the United States.
Japan has had robust defense, trade, and aid ties with the Philippines, a relationship cultivated through decades and across administrations. A Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), a Visiting Forces Agreement-like deal that would govern how Japanese troops can engage in the Philippines, was hoped to be signed before the end of March 2024.
Washington has been quick to respond to the Marcos administration’s openness to amping up ties with one of its oldest ally. Manalo said bilateral ties are on “hyperdrive.”
Blinken said in response: “The alliance has never been stronger, but we not only have to sustain that, we have to continue to accelerate the momentum.”
And Beijing? Well, they’re certainly not enthused, as expected.
“The military cooperation between the US and the Philippines should not undermine China’s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, nor should it be used to support the illegal claims of the Philippines,” said the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Lin Jian, responding to Blinken’s concerns over Chinese actions in the South China Sea.
The Marcos administration has been on hyperdrive in improving its bilateral and multilateral ties, especially in terms of security and defense.
Lazaro, in a chance interview in early March, said there would be “no difficulties” in another trilateral relationship: between the Philippines, Japan, and India. Although no formal talks have started, Philippine-Japan ties have always been robust. Manila and New Delhi ties have only improved in recent years.
From March 25 to 27, Manila will be hosting Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. This would be their top diplomat’s second visit to the Philippines in just over two years.
“In addition to advancing trade and tourism between two of Asia’s fastest growing economies, the foreign minister’s meeting with Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo will focus on defense and maritime cooperation, food security, development, healthcare and financial technology cooperation,” said the DFA in a release.
Manila is Jaishankar’s last stop in a three-country tour around the region. Indian Ambassador to Manila Shambhu S. Kumaran, speaking at the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation 2024 Day, said bilateral ties between Manila and New Delhi were at their “best ever.”
It’s a timely visit from New Delhi – India, too, has to contend with China’s encroachment. In August 2023, it protested China’s new “standard map,” which claimed parts of Indian territory. The Philippines has long protested China’s version of reality – in particular, because in that map, almost all of the South China Sea is Beijing’s.
Cooperation between the coast guards of India and the Philippines are well and good. The two coast guards signed a memorandum of understanding for “enhancing maritime cooperation” back in August 2023.
The India Coast Guard’s Samura Pahererar is docked in Manila to coincide with Minister Jaishankar’s visit. – Rappler.com
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Kai Sotto, Jack Animam: Doubling their way to career resurgence | Jasmine Payo | 14/03/2024 18:39 | RISING. Gilas Pilipinas stalwarts Jack Animam (left) and Kai Sotto prove their worth in the international stage.
JACK ANIMAM INSTAGRAM PAGE, JAPAN B. LEAGUE
MANILA, Philippines – Two towers of Gilas Pilipinas – one each from the men’s and women’s national teams – have recently been sizzling with impressive performances in the international arena.
The 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto and 6-foot-4 Jack Animam both entered this season at the crossroads of their still relatively young basketball careers. The two needed to have something to show for this season to salvage what appeared to be floundering career trajectories.
For all the hype that came with being touted as potentially the first local talent to make it to the NBA, Sotto never really hit his stride ever since he decided to forego college and turn pro.
An aborted stint in the NBA G League redirected to a detour to Australia where he spent two uneventful seasons in the National Basketball League. Under a coach who publicly told the media he was committed to the Filipino giant’s development but in reality never truly trusted him, Sotto averaged just 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds.
Sotto was also unable to display his full arsenal in the 2023 NBA Summer League as he played only two games and normed 3 points and 3 boards in 10 minutes of mostly insignificant play.
In the Japan B. League, 23 games with the Hiroshima Dragonflies saw him registering better but still unimpressive statistics of 8.9 points and 6 rebounds. These were not the numbers that would make any NBA scout take notice.
There were moments when he gave a glimpse of his skill set, but these were few and far between. For the most part, the Kai Sotto prior to 2024 could be described as underwhelming.
His harshest critics – Filipino keyboard warriors who have made it their habit to spew hate and pollute social media with nonsensical opinions – were quick to pounce on Sotto, all but declaring he would amount to no more than an average Asian big man who would not cut it in the NBA.
Animam, on the other hand, was skyrocketing to the basketball stratosphere after leading the National University to five UAAP championships.
She played another year of college ball for the Shin Hsin University in Taiwan, helping the team to a perfect 18-0 record en route to bagging the University Basketball Association championship.
Animam’s goal was similar to Sotto’s: put herself in a position to be knocking on the doors of the WNBA.
But she needed to prove she could hang with bigger and more athletic competition.
Becoming the first homegrown Filipino to be signed as an import by a European ballclub, Animam established herself as the best player of the ŽKK Radnički Kragujevac in the First Women’s Basketball League of Serbia in 2021.
In eight games with Radnički, Animam posted a double-double of 20 points and 14.3 rebounds.
Then tragedy struck. Animam suffered an injury that kept her out of action for 10 months.
The Animam who came back was not the same one who dominated in Serbia. The confidence and the improved agility appeared to have been usurped by tentativeness and second guessing.
There was a consensus belief that the Gilas Women’s would not have lost the gold in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games had Animam been a 100%.
When Animam resumed her pro career in 2023 with Toulouse Metropole Basket in the Ligue Féminine de Basketball, the top women’s league in France, she found herself riding the bench.
Even a transfer to USO Mondeville in the lower division would not bring forth a resurgence in Animam’s production.
But Sotto and Animam have proven to be made from the same enduring fabric, like polyethylene – strong, resilient, long-lasting.
From being given up for dead, Sotto has resurrected his career to make even the bashers do a turnaround and start singing praises.
It all began when he moved to the Yokohama B-Corsairs at the end of December 2023.
Japanese coach Taketo Aoki allowed Sotto, who at just 21 years old was already playing for his third pro club, the space he needed to adjust to the B-Corsairs.
In his first 11 games for Yokohama, Sotto was on the floor an average of just 13 minutes.
Then on the weekend of February 10-11, Aoki finally unleashed the Kaiju.
Against recent East Asia Super League champion the Chiba Jets, Sotto came out swinging with 18 points and 10 boards in a 79-89 loss. He exploded the following day with 26 points and 11 rebounds to help Yokohama exact revenge on the Jets, 90-85.
Sotto has been scoring 20.4 points on an efficient 73.4% shooting clip and grabbing 10.2 rebounds in his last five games.
These numbers are even more impressive considering he posted these against teams with winning records – Chiba was last season’s B. League runner-up; the Kawasaki Brave Thunder are bannered by 6-foot-11 naturalized Japanese Nick Fazekas and 6-foot-10 imports Rosco Allen and Eric Murphy; while the San-En NeoPhoenix have been one of the top teams in the B League this season.
In his last six games in Japan, Sotto’s floor time increased to 26 minutes as Aoki fully integrated the Filipino import into the Yokohama rotation.
In between the tear he has been in Japan, Sotto showed up for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and became the focal point of coach Tim Cone’s frontline production.
Sotto played his best two games in a Gilas men’s uniform and delivered 15.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.5 blocks in back-to-back victories over Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei.
Over in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA), Animam was a picture of consistency all season long for the Wuhan Sheng Fan.
The 25-year-old Bulacan native fired warning shots to the entire WCBA when in her very first game, she scored 17 points and grabbed 17 rebounds against the Fujian Zhongten.
Over the course of 35 games, Animam registered a double-double 19 times.
Her best game happened on February 22 in a 79-56 victory over the Henan Yichuan, Animam proved unstoppable, dropping 27 points while also collecting 19 rebounds and 4 steals.
Animam had two games where she dropped a 20-20 stat line.
In an encounter against Tianjin Guanlan last November 16, Animam had the chance to gauge herself against a legitimate WNBA All Star, and the Filipina center more than held her own.
Ranged against 6-foot-3 power forward Brionna Jones, a WNBA veteran for the Connecticut Sun, Animam punctured the hoop with 20 points to go with 20 rebounds.
Jones is a two-time WNBA All-Star and the 2022 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year. During the 2021 WNBA season, she was named the Most Improved Player and cracked the All Defensive Second Team.
Animam flexed her strength in Wuhan’s 62-56 upset over Shanxi Tianze last November 30. In that game, Animam had her imprint on almost every aspect of the game with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 blocks, and 2 assists.
When told by Rappler that she is playing like the Jack Animam who slayed it in Serbia, she replied, “I don’t feel like the Jack who was in Serbia. The Jack now has grown so much from there. The Jack now is a lot better. Her mentality and mindset are now just different.”
Her numbers back up her contention.
At the end of the WCBA season, Animam put up 11.4 points per game. She ranked eighth in rebounding with her average of 11.9 boards. She was also among the league leaders in steals with 2.1 per game.
These fine showings from Sotto and Animam have brought them back in the game.
In the case of Sotto, it helps that he has a capable point guard in Yuki Kawamura who knows when and where to find him.
But more than that, Sotto simply needed the touches and coaches who believed in him and knew how to utilize his strengths. Aoki and Cone then coaxed the Kaiju out of its shell and into the hardwood where the potential is slowly becoming a reality.
For Animam, she too needed to reclaim the self-belief that she was capable of holding her own even against some of the top bigs in the international arena. With the renewed confidence, Animam rediscovered the double-double machine in her.
Perhaps, both Sotto and Animam simply needed a fair chance to show what they were capable of delivering.
Animam captured it perfectly when she shared, “I am just aggressive every time I step on the floor. I am taking every opportunity I get and making the most out of it while at the same time having fun.” – Rappler.com
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Pacquiao, Sulaiman honor Filipino champs, eye PH-Mexico tiff | delfin.dioquino editor | 25/03/2024 18:35 | PACMAN. Manny Pacquiao in training.
Wendell Alinea/MP Promotions
MANILA, Philippines – 2023 was far from being a banner year for Philippine boxing. Still, the legendary Manny Pacquiao, one the world’s best fighters ever, found a way to make it special.
During the Elorde-Pacquiao Boxing Awards at Okada Manila on Sunday, March 24, the eight-division world champion took time out from his hectic schedule to grace the event with World Boxing Council (WBC) president Mauricio Sulaiman as the main guest.
Pacquiao invited Sulaiman, through international kingmaker Sean Gibbons, to become the keynote speaker.
Sulaiman accepted the offer and did not regret doing so.
The WBC president was so pleased by the warm reception he got from Pacquiao, Filipino sports officials, and boxing fans that he was prompted to announce that he would stage a dual meet involving Mexico and the Philippines coinciding with the 2025 staging of the dinner awards.
“Next year, we will hold a dual meet featuring top boxers from the Philippines and Mexico,” Sulaiman told Filipino sportswriters. He also assured Pacquiao and Gibbons that the 2025 edition would be memorable.
“2025 marks the 59th year of the ‘Thrilla in Manila,'” said Sulaiman, referring to the epic fight between all-time greats Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier held at the Araneta Coliseum on October 1, 1975, and won by Ali via 15th-round stoppage.
“This is the Oscars of boxing,” added Sulaiman, who cited the presence of 15 Filipino world champions, led by Pacquiao and the likes of Rolando Navarrete and Erbito Salavarria.
Pacquiao won the WBC flyweight crown in Thailand in December 1998 and the WBC super-welterweight belt in Texas in November 2010.
Pacquiao concurred with Sulaiman’s vision, promising to make the second staging even bigger.
Former world champion Marlon Tapales and Melvin Jerusalem led the major awardees on Sunday, along with 2024 Paris Olympics-bound Eumir Marcial, who knocked out Thai Thoedsak Sinam in the fourth round on Saturday, March 23. – Rappler.com
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How the Jollibee Group stores, facilities showed support for Earth Hour 2024 | Saab Lariosa | 25/03/2024 14:55 | Over 4,700 stores and facilities of the Jollibee Group from the Philippines, China, North America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia turned their lights off on Earth Hour last March 23, 2024, in solidarity with over 190 countries to raise awareness about the environmental impact on the planet of climate change.
Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Panda Express, Yoshinoya, Burger King, and Common Man Coffee Roasters branches in the Philippines, as well as Tim Ho Wan, Yonghe King, and Hong Zhuang Yuan restaurants in China, Highlands Coffee in Vietnam, and Jollibee, Smashburger, and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branches in North America and Canada gave an hour for the Earth—from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm (local time)—as they simultaneously turned their lights off including signage and billboards on their facilities.
Pepot Miñana Jr., Jollibee Group’s Chief Sustainability and Public Affairs Officer, emphasized: “We believe that all actions count in helping ensure a sustainable future. While participating in Earth Hour starts with turning off the lights, it serves a bigger purpose of being a visible and important reminder that we can take deliberate steps to make a profound difference on the planet.”
Energy Efficiency is one of the major focus areas under the Jollibee Group’s Sustainability Agenda called Joy for Tomorrow. Under this priority area, the Company has set reduction goals and initiatives that are aligned with and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly “Affordable and Clean Energy” (Goal #7) and “Responsible Consumption and Production” (Goal #12).
The Jollibee Group has implemented several energy-saving measures in its stores and commissaries to manifest this goal. This year, the Company will continue increasing the total number of solar-paneled stores to 64, on top of solar installations in its facilities.
After powering up an extensive 6,300 solar panel installation in its Canlubang Baking Facility last January, the Jollibee Group’s supply chain will mark another milestone by solarizing its two remaining sites, C3 and Jollibee Worldwide Services Logistics, by the second quarter of 2024.
To continuously contribute to the Company’s growing sustainable business practices, these manufacturing and logistics sites are targeting to improve its energy reduction further by the end of the year, following their achievement of a 28.2% reduction in energy use ratio in 2023.
Held annually on the last Saturday of March, Earth Hour engages around 190 countries and territories, inspiring millions of people to act and reduce the consumption of natural resources by turning off lights for an hour. – Rappler.com
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Be The Good: PAREX and reimagining Pasig River | Pia Ranada | 22/03/2024 19:01 | MANILA, Philippines – Environmentalists, active transport advocates, and heritage conservationists celebrated the apparent cancellation of the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) as a win for communities threatened by the project.
But what’s next after San Miguel Corporation president Ramon Ang’s announcement? What other government projects could affect Pasig River, Metro Manila’s most iconic waterway?
Rappler community lead Pia Ranada talks to two advocates who fought PAREX alongside communities: Joven Jacolbia of Ilog Pasiglahin, and Rigel Magcale, an urban planner.
Ilog Pasiglahin is a group pushing for the sustainable revitalization of Pasig River. Learn more about their advocacy and how they think rivers in Philippine cities should be developed.
Catch the conversation at 7 pm on Friday, March 22, on this page and Rappler’s YouTube and social media pages.
This is the first episode of a special series of Be The Good called Let’s Talk Liveability that will focus on efforts to improve the quality of life in Philippine cities in the aspects of transportation and mobility, green and open spaces, access to basic services, heritage conservation, disaster resilience, and local economy.
The series is part of Make Manila Liveable, a collaboration between Rappler and civil society groups pushing for liveability in cities. Learn more about the movement here. – Rappler.com
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James Yap fulfilled after record All-Star appearance in Bacolod homecoming | delfin.dioquino editor | 25/03/2024 20:05 | LEGEND. James Yap in action for Team Mark in the 2024 PBA All-Star Game.
PBA Images
BACOLOD, Philippines – James Yap relished the chance to bring his fellow Negrenses joy as he owned a piece of PBA history with his 18th All-Star Game appearance.
Yap broke his tie with Asi Taulava for most All-Star selections, seeing action for Team Mark in an entertaining clash with Team Japeth that ended in a 140-140 draw at the University of St. La Salle gym here on Sunday, March 24.
“Of course I’m happy and blessed that it happened where I grew up,” said Yap, who hails from Escalante, some two hours away from Bacolod City.
The 42-year-old played for Bacolod Tay Tung High School and Iloilo Commercial Central High School before he took his act to Manila, where he starred for the UE Red Warriors in the UAAP.
Picked second in the 2004 PBA Draft, Yap went on to enjoy a storied career that saw him lead the Purefoods franchise to seven championships, including a rare Grand Slam in 2014, and win a pair of season MVP honors.
Yap got traded to Rain or Shine in 2016 and now plays for Blackwater.
His return to Bacolod was met with warmth and reverence as the fans cheered Yap every time he entered the court and held the ball.
Although Yap ended up scoreless after missing his two attempts from four-point distance and one from three-point range, the experience still proved to be fulfilling.
“I wanted to make a shot but it rimmed out. But at least I saw the people here in Bacolod were happy,” said Yap, now a councilor in San Juan City.
Team Japeth head coach Tim Cone, who mentored Yap for five years at Purefoods, said he is no longer surprised to see his former ward reset the record for most All-Star appearances.
“James, he is like a freak of nature. He is not a normal human being. He finds a way to keep his body in shape, he finds a way to stay sharp. He finds a way to stay effective, even at his age,” said Cone.
“I experienced that for five years and I experienced that through the Grand Slam and he was the MVP in every one of those finals series.” – Rappler.com
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Heightened security for Degamos after Teves arrest | The wRap | Cara Angeline Oliver | 25/03/2024 21:30 | Today on Rappler – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:
Police step up security for the family of assassinated Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo following the arrest of former congressman and suspected mastermind Arnie Teves in Timor-Leste.
The Supreme Court allows a United Nations special rapporteur to submit her opinion in the cyber libel case appeal of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa.
The Philippines questions if China was sincere in ‘lowering the tensions and promoting peace and stability in the South China Sea.’
Another song of ‘Bangsamoro pop’ singer Shaira has been removed from streaming platforms, days after her hit single ‘Selos’ was also taken down.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson says the Prince and Princess of Wales are ‘enormously touched’ by the messages of support they received since Kate announced her cancer diagnosis. — Rappler.com
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James Jimenez’s presence in Comelec event wakes up ghost of debate fiasco probe | Dwight de Leon | 25/03/2024 21:34 | FORMER SPOKESMAN. James Jimenez during the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement between the Commission on Elections and news outlet Rappler in February 2022.
Domingo Licuanan/Comelec
A ceremonial agreement signing between the Commission on Elections and some 2025 election partners on Monday, March 25, turned into a blast from the past after former Comelec spokesman James Jimenez made a surprise appearance.
Jimenez, the longtime face of the Philippines’ election commission, availed of early retirement in September 2022, months after his involvement in the embarrassing cancellation of the Comelec-led presidential and vice presidential debates.
What ever happened to the investigation against him? Why was he in the Comelec’s headquarters on Monday? Is this the second coming of James Jimenez?
As it turned out, Jimenez is a member and a former president of Rotary International District (RID) 3810, one of the Comelec’s partners for the information campaign for overseas registration and voting in next year’s midterms.
In a chance interview with reporters, he answered in the negative when asked whether he helped broker the deal between the Comelec and RID 3810. He also denied being employed again by the poll body in any formal capacity.
Rappler learned he visited the Comelec’s Office for Overseas Voting a few weeks back. One officer from OFOV even thanked Jimenez on social media for sharing “ideas on info dissemination drive for overseas registration.”
When asked about it, Jimenez downplayed the visit, saying: “They just asked to be connected [with a representative] because they can’t find the number.”
Comelec Chairman George Garcia also insisted that the poll body has no current formal ties with Jimenez, but admitted that the latter has sent feelers to return to the government agency that he had served for two decades.
“May mga ganoong pahiwatig si director James Jimenez (He has expressed willingness to come back),” Garcia said. “Depende ‘yan kung mayroong available na slot. Pero sa kasalukuyan, walang available na mataas na opisina dito sa Comelec (That will depend on the availability of slots. Right now, there’s no vacancy for a ranking official in the Comelec.)”
“Hindi ko alam kung pabiro o gaano kaseryoso (I’m not sure if he was joking or being serious),” he added.
At his peak, Jimenez was a formidable force in the Comelec, a constant talking head that millions of voters grew familiar with every election season.
He officially spoke for the Comelec beginning 2007, and outlasted five Comelec chairmen, but the role he played in the bungled Comelec-led debates in 2022 may have proven to be his undoing.
Documents obtained by Rappler at the time showed he had promised debate venue Sofitel that the Comelec’s partner Impact Hub Manila would settle its debt, which totaled P14 million in the end. Jimenez said the poll body would be the “source of funding,” even though higher-ranking Comelec officials were under the impression that the commission would not spend a single dime for the conduct of the event.
The Comelec – in a humiliating move – was eventually left no choice but to cancel the debates.
The poll body subsequently relieved him of his spokesman duties a few days before the 2022 elections, and he never got that post back since.
Garcia said Jimenez has yet to receive the benefits that came with his early retirement because the Comelec investigation against him is still pending.
What’s with the two-year delay?
Garcia claimed the investigation panel that the Comelec created to probe the scandal already came up with a report. The resolution, however, is supposedly being held up in at least one commissioner’s office.
“Iyong resolution, umiikot ‘yan since last year. Buti nga ngayon, na-remind na naman ako. Siguro, kung sinuman ang may hawak na commissioner, kukulitin na lang natin upang mailabas na, kasi siyempre, iyan ay isang hanging issue na dapat ma-resolve pa rin,” Garcia said.
(The resolution has been making the rounds in the Comelec en banc since last year. Thankfully now, I am reminded again of this issue. We will follow up with the commissioner who has the resolution at the moment to release it already, because of course, that’s a hanging issue that needs to be resolved.)
Without a final ruling on the controversy, the ghost of the mishandled debates will continue to haunt Jimenez, further complicating a comeback bid… if he is serious about it. – Rappler.com
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Visita Iglesia suggestions in Metro Manila | Chito de la Vega | 25/03/2024 21:47 | Catholic devotees welcome the image of Jesus Christ at the San Felipe Neri Church in Mandaluyong City, as lay ministers bless palms of the faithful, on March 24, 2024, Palm Sunday.
jire carreon/rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Visita Iglesia (visiting churches) is a practice of piety by Filipino Roman Catholics of visiting seven churches during Holy Week as part of their meditation on the Passion of Jesus Christ.
It usually starts after the Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday evening. Catholic Churches set aside an Altar of Repose for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during this time.
In some churches the vigil for the Blessed Sacrament lasts till midnight. Others have all-nighters with round-the-clock prayer vigils until noon of Good Friday.
For those not joining the usual exodus going out-of-town and instead opt to remain in the metropolis, here are some churches you can include in your Visita Iglesia list.
– Rappler.com
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US FDA to remove all posts warning public vs using ivermectin to treat COVID-19 | Kaycee | 24/03/2024 20:29 | The Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration released new statements to warn the public against the use of Ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment.
Shutterstock
MANILA, Philippines – The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has settled a lawsuit brought by Texan doctors about the agency’s statements against using ivermectin as a treatment drug for COVID-19.
Physicians Mary Talley Bowden, Robert Apter, and Paul Marik argued that the FDA went beyond its jurisdiction. Marik said the agency “interfered with the practice of medicine with their irresponsible language and posts about ivermectin.”
“We will never know how many lives were affected because patients were denied access to a lifesaving treatment because their doctor was just following the FDA,” said Marik, who is also chairman and chief scientific officer at the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC Alliance).
As a result of the settlement, which was dated March 21, the FDA will be deleting social media posts related to the drug, specifically posts with the caption: “You are not a horse. Stop it with the #ivermectin. It’s not authorized for treating COVID,” among others.
The agency was also ordered to take down within 21 days its web page titled “Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent COVID-19.”
According to Newsweek, the FDA said it moved to settle “rather than continuing to litigate over statements that are between two and nearly four years old.”
In a statement sent to The Epoch Times, the FDA maintained that clinical trial data does not show the drug’s effectiveness against COVID-19.
There are two kinds of ivermectin. One is for animals, which is used to prevent parasites in cows and horses. Meanwhile, the one approved for human use has a different concentration and is prescribed for those with head lice and other conditions such as rosacea (“a common skin condition that causes flushing or long-term redness on your face,” according to Mayo Clinic).
Back home, in 2021, the Philippines’ own FDA also issued a warning against using ivermectin for COVID-19.
There was a rise in online posts about the drug as a viable treatment at the height of the pandemic, but online listings of ivermectin in the country only sold the animal variant.
While ivermectin is not banned in the Philippines, it is registered as a prescribed topical medicine. This means that people could only get access to the proper ivermectin variant if they had a doctor’s prescription.
“Any use of ivermectin veterinary products for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 should be avoided as the benefits and safety for this purpose has not been established,” Manila’s FDA said in a March 15, 2021 advisory.
In April 2021, the FDA allowed a hospital to use ivermectin to treat a COVID-19 patient through a compassionate special permit. The number had grown to six hospitals, as of May 2021.
Physicians Bowden, Apter, and Marik celebrated the agency’s settlement, noting that the FDA’s statements regarding ivermectin were essentially a form of fear-mongering.
The FLCCC Alliance also said that the statements “illegally interfered with the doctors’ ability to practice medicine.”
“This landmark case sets an important precedent in limiting FDA overreach into the doctor-patient relationship,” Bowden said.
🚨BREAKING:FDA loses its war on ivermectin and agrees to remove all social media posts and consumer directives regarding ivermectin and COVID, including its most popular tweet in FDA history.This landmark case sets an important precedent in limiting FDA overreach into the… pic.twitter.com/HWYkkZLpoJ
The case was first filed with the US District Court in June 2022, but was dismissed after the court found the FDA to have “sovereign immunity,” the FLCCC Alliance recalled. The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed the case’s dismissal in September 2023.
“[The] FDA can inform, but it has identified no authority allowing it to recommend consumers ‘stop’ taking medicine,” the US Court of Appeals said. – Rappler.com
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Exploring the culinary heritage of Pampanga | Joann Manabat - CMS | 23/03/2024 19:36 | KAPAMPANGAN FOOD CONFERENCE. The First International Conference on Kapampangan Cuisine and Food Tourism was held at the Holy Angel University in Angeles City last March 21 and 22.
Rappler
ANGELES CITY, Philippines – From simple home-cooked meals to the specialties of local eateries and restaurants, Pampanga has through the years established itself as both the culinary capital and the culinary heartland of the Philippines.
The Center for Kapampangan Studies (CKS) spearheaded the First International Conference on Kapampangan Cuisine and Food Tourism on March 21 and 22 at Holy Angel University.
CKS director Robert Tantingco said the conference was a modest celebration of the goodness and originality of the Kapampangan cuisine. Pampanga is home to a myriad of delicious and iconic Filipino food, from adobo, sisig, bulanglang, and kalderetang kambing to exotic foods like betute and kamaru.
Tantingco noted that the titles “Culinary Capital of the Philippines” and “Culinary Heartland of the Philippines” did not come from the Kapampangans.
“These titles were from popular acclaim and an article by the global media company, Conde Nast, when it wrote about Pampanga,” Tantingco said.
“For the longest time, we have called our cuisine the best and we have considered ourselves as the best cooks, but we should go beyond that already. We need to study its past, present, and future so that we can unlock lessons to be learned from it and maybe learn more about ourselves,” he added.
The conference featured 35 parallel sessions and 10 plenary sessions on Pampanga’s culinary history, culture, food, and traditions.
It brought together people from different walks of life to discuss how to improve the conditions that contribute to Pampanga’s food tourism and safeguard the heritage of the Kapampangan cuisine.
The chefs, researchers, and historians of the Kapampangan culinary industry also brought to the table new perspectives, new insights, and deeper conversations on the evolution of the cuisine
It goes all the way back to the 1600s, when Pampanga became the “food basket,” according to chef Claude Tayag. He said back then, the Spaniards depended on the food supply coming from Pampanga for the survival of their colony in Manila.
“The fertility of the land and the industry of the people, plus, they live in the waterways. There were barters and payment of taxes were in kind. That’s how it started,” Tayag shared.
“There was no official declaration by the government. But over the centuries, the access – with the water as transportation – and the exposure of the foreigners, even after the Spaniards left all, contributed to what is now our culinary heritage,” he added.
Tayag said over the years, Kapampangans learned to distinguish and appreciate different flavors, as evident in Pampanga’s fermented food such as burong isda, burong hipon, burong talangka, and burong mangga.
Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement founder, Kapampangan chef Jam Melchor, said Kapampangan cuisine has the potential to motivate other regional food cultures in the country as it stands as a beacon of culinary excellence, cultural conservation, and community involvement.
“The future of Kapampangan food is bright, driven by a balance of innovation, preservation initiatives, global influence, culinary tourism, and a commitment to sustainability and health,” Melchor said.
“Our cuisine will undoubtedly remain a cherished part of the Philippines’ landscape – as its culinary heartland.” – Rappler.com
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At least 17 burn to death, 4 others hurt in Cotabato road mishap | Herbie G | 25/03/2024 20:16 | CHARRED. People watch after a commuter van burst into flames, killing at least 17 passengers, after it collided with a dump truck in Antipas town, Cotabato province on Monday, March 25.
Antipas PNP photo
GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – The death toll from a road accident in Antipas town, Cotabato province, on Monday, March 25, rose to 17 after a commuter van collided with a dump truck along a highway, bursting into flames upon impact.
Of the 18 passengers in the commuter van, only one – Rosario Reyes – survived and remains hospitalized in Antipas, said Captain Godofredo Tupas II, Antipas police chief.
Investigators have yet to identify a male and a female among the van passengers who died.
Tupas said the 49-year-old driver of the truck, Edwin Dumapias Panoy, along with his companions – Wilmark Panoy, 27, and Gregorio Casiño – were rushed to a hospital.
Based on Tupas’ list, 15 of those who died in the accident were:
The commuter van burst into flames after impact, burning several passengers trapped inside and thrown off nearby, after colliding with the dump truck around noon in Barangay Luhong, Antipas town, said Cotabato police director Colonel Gilbert Balneg Tuzon.
A video clip circulating on social media showed a group of men attempting to approach one of the helpless victims who called for help. However, the group retreated as the fire rapidly spread. Along with several other onlookers, they watched in horror as the victim burned.
Tupas said it took the police some time to identify some of the victims due to the lack of identification documents in their possession.
“Walang mga ID, nasunog ang mga gamit (They had no IDs, their belongings were burned),” he said.
He said the investigation showed that the wrecked van was dragged by the dump truck for about 50 meters before it burst into flames.
The police official said an initial investigation found that the truck’s brakes malfunctioned, and the driver lost control of the vehicle on a downhill curve and rammed the oncoming van.
Tupas said investigators were also looking into why the van burst into flames. – Rappler.com
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Davao City killings already rampant even before Baste Duterte declared war on drugs | Jodesz Gavilan | 25/03/2024 16:21 | MANILA, Philippines – Residents of Davao City had already witnessed rampant bloodshed even before Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, son of the former president, declared on March 22, his war against illegal drugs. His new declaration could make the violence even worse.
There have been at least 97 drug-related killings in Davao City between July 1, 2022 and March 15, 2024, according to monitoring conducted by the Dahas Project of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center. This means that at least one person was killed a week since Baste Duterte took office.
Out of this number, 96 were killed by state agents – from the Philippine National Police or the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. One was killed by an unidentified assailant.
Dahas Project is the only remaining effort to methodologically count the drug-related killings across the Philippines that continued from Duterte to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The latest death toll in Davao City accounts for at least 16% of the 582 drug-related killings recorded under the current Marcos administration as of March 15.
In a report released to mark the first year of the Marcos administration, the team noted the “sudden emergence of Davao del Sur as the top hotspot” for drug-related killings. The primary victims are “low-level drug peddlers” and mostly concentrated in Davao City.
During Baste’s first 12 months in office, at least 53 people were already killed in Davao City alone – almost 15% of the total 342 drug-related killings during the first year of the Marcos administration.
The younger Duterte on March 22 echoed the messaging of his father, warning alleged drug personalities to leave before he gets to them.
“So this will be your chance to get out of this city. If not, sorry, I’m already telling you right now, get out of here [and] if you’re not going to stop, I’ll kill you,” he said in Bisaya during the ceremony welcoming new Davao City police chief Richard Bad-ang.
Between then and Monday, March 25, the Facebook page of Davao City already posted about two individuals killed in police anti-illegal drug operations. This could just be the beginning of rampant violence, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW) senior researcher Carlos Conde.
“With Mayor Duterte’s declaration of war against drugs in his city, we fear the violence will worsen and the impunity will persist,” he told Rappler on Monday.
“We also cannot expect accountability for the killings, what with the Duterte family’s tight grip on the city,” Conde added.
The violence that continues in Davao City is a legacy of the Duterte patriarch who served as mayor for more than two decades. His rule was marked by killings – estimated to be in the thousands – allegedly carried out by the notorious Davao Death Squad (DDS).
The Commission on Human Rights, then led by Leila de Lima, identified at least 206 killings attributable to the DDS between 2005 and 2009.
The elder Duterte spread the bloodshed nationwide after he became president in 2016. He ended his term in June 2022 with his flagship anti-illegal drug campaign killing at least 6,252 in police operations alone, according to official numbers. If those killed vigilante-style are included, human rights groups estimate, the numbers would rise to between 27,000 and 30,000.
His violent war on drugs is currently under investigation at the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity. The ICC is also investigating killings in Davao City between 2011 and 2016 “given the similarities between those…and the nationwide war on drugs…and the overlap of individuals involved during both periods.”
The unresolved killings within this period is one of the reasons why the ICC wants to probe further into the situation. In June 2022, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said that “the Government of the Philippines has provided no information whatsoever about past or ongoing criminal investigations or prosecutions relating to alleged crimes committed in Davao.”
Marcos, during his Germany trip, said that the illegal drug issue in the Philippines remains “a big problem, but our approach has changed significantly.”
HRW’s Conde said that the ball is in the court of the Marcos administration to stop the younger Duterte’s war on drugs, a way for him to prove that “all his talk about respect for human rights is not just talk.”
“This is now a challenge for the national authorities to make sure that these deaths are properly and impartially investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice,” Conde said, adding that Davao City “cannot continue being a killing field.” – Rappler.com
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Exploring the culinary heritage of Pampanga | Joann Manabat - CMS | 23/03/2024 19:36 | KAPAMPANGAN FOOD CONFERENCE. The First International Conference on Kapampangan Cuisine and Food Tourism was held at the Holy Angel University in Angeles City last March 21 and 22.
Rappler
ANGELES CITY, Philippines – From simple home-cooked meals to the specialties of local eateries and restaurants, Pampanga has through the years established itself as both the culinary capital and the culinary heartland of the Philippines.
The Center for Kapampangan Studies (CKS) spearheaded the First International Conference on Kapampangan Cuisine and Food Tourism on March 21 and 22 at Holy Angel University.
CKS director Robert Tantingco said the conference was a modest celebration of the goodness and originality of the Kapampangan cuisine. Pampanga is home to a myriad of delicious and iconic Filipino food, from adobo, sisig, bulanglang, and kalderetang kambing to exotic foods like betute and kamaru.
Tantingco noted that the titles “Culinary Capital of the Philippines” and “Culinary Heartland of the Philippines” did not come from the Kapampangans.
“These titles were from popular acclaim and an article by the global media company, Conde Nast, when it wrote about Pampanga,” Tantingco said.
“For the longest time, we have called our cuisine the best and we have considered ourselves as the best cooks, but we should go beyond that already. We need to study its past, present, and future so that we can unlock lessons to be learned from it and maybe learn more about ourselves,” he added.
The conference featured 35 parallel sessions and 10 plenary sessions on Pampanga’s culinary history, culture, food, and traditions.
It brought together people from different walks of life to discuss how to improve the conditions that contribute to Pampanga’s food tourism and safeguard the heritage of the Kapampangan cuisine.
The chefs, researchers, and historians of the Kapampangan culinary industry also brought to the table new perspectives, new insights, and deeper conversations on the evolution of the cuisine
It goes all the way back to the 1600s, when Pampanga became the “food basket,” according to chef Claude Tayag. He said back then, the Spaniards depended on the food supply coming from Pampanga for the survival of their colony in Manila.
“The fertility of the land and the industry of the people, plus, they live in the waterways. There were barters and payment of taxes were in kind. That’s how it started,” Tayag shared.
“There was no official declaration by the government. But over the centuries, the access – with the water as transportation – and the exposure of the foreigners, even after the Spaniards left all, contributed to what is now our culinary heritage,” he added.
Tayag said over the years, Kapampangans learned to distinguish and appreciate different flavors, as evident in Pampanga’s fermented food such as burong isda, burong hipon, burong talangka, and burong mangga.
Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement founder, Kapampangan chef Jam Melchor, said Kapampangan cuisine has the potential to motivate other regional food cultures in the country as it stands as a beacon of culinary excellence, cultural conservation, and community involvement.
“The future of Kapampangan food is bright, driven by a balance of innovation, preservation initiatives, global influence, culinary tourism, and a commitment to sustainability and health,” Melchor said.
“Our cuisine will undoubtedly remain a cherished part of the Philippines’ landscape – as its culinary heartland.” – Rappler.com
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Be The Good: PAREX and reimagining Pasig River | Pia Ranada | 22/03/2024 19:01 | MANILA, Philippines – Environmentalists, active transport advocates, and heritage conservationists celebrated the apparent cancellation of the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) as a win for communities threatened by the project.
But what’s next after San Miguel Corporation president Ramon Ang’s announcement? What other government projects could affect Pasig River, Metro Manila’s most iconic waterway?
Rappler community lead Pia Ranada talks to two advocates who fought PAREX alongside communities: Joven Jacolbia of Ilog Pasiglahin, and Rigel Magcale, an urban planner.
Ilog Pasiglahin is a group pushing for the sustainable revitalization of Pasig River. Learn more about their advocacy and how they think rivers in Philippine cities should be developed.
Catch the conversation at 7 pm on Friday, March 22, on this page and Rappler’s YouTube and social media pages.
This is the first episode of a special series of Be The Good called Let’s Talk Liveability that will focus on efforts to improve the quality of life in Philippine cities in the aspects of transportation and mobility, green and open spaces, access to basic services, heritage conservation, disaster resilience, and local economy.
The series is part of Make Manila Liveable, a collaboration between Rappler and civil society groups pushing for liveability in cities. Learn more about the movement here. – Rappler.com
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With PAREX uncertain, advocates ask Marcos: Consult communities for Pasig River revival | Pia Ranada | 25/03/2024 15:19 | DREAMS FOR PASIG RIVER. Jovel Jacolbia and Rigel Magcale of Ilog Pasiglahin show drawings by school children of their 'dreams' for Pasig River. Rappler photo
MANILA, Philippines – With the future of the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) project uncertain, advocates who opposed the project called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to center his Pasig River revival initiative on the needs of communities near the iconic waterway.
Joven Jacolbia and Rigel Magcale, members of volunteer group Ilog Pasiglahin, told Rappler on Friday, March 22, that they would support the President’s and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos’ “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli Project” (PBBM), if it would be based on genuine consultation with communities.
“We welcome the plan because we in Ilog Pasiglahin think that government should take the lead in rehabilitating Pasig River,” said Jacolbia in a Be The Good interview with Rappler community lead Pia Ranada.
“We’ve seen the plans. President Marcos said, it will be people-driven, community-oriented, but right now, unfortunately, none of us–and even none of our partner communities–have been consulted in the drafting or planning the program,” he added.
The “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli Project,” which has the same acronym as Marcos’ name, was officially introduced to the public last January. It has its roots in his July 2023 executive order which created the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD), headed by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and vice-chaired by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
In the plan, 8 areas along the 25-kilometer stretch of the Pasig River will be developed into “people-centric” zones that will feature a mix of commercial spaces, public parks, bike lanes, and jogging areas. Thousands of informal settlers stand to be displaced by the project but the government gave assurances they would be given new homes in permanent relocation sites.
How the Palace-backed river revival plan would jive with PAREX and other road projects near Pasig River confuses groups like Ilog Pasiglahin.
But Marcos’ vision for the river is closer to their goals than the planned expressway.
Jacolbia and Magcale, however, emphasized that genuine public consultation and collaboration with Pasig River communities would make the Marcos plan more sustainable. Without the involvement of communities, it would be easier for another administration to scrap the project. It would also be much easier for private developers to “co-opt” the riverside sites and turn them into enclaves for the rich, shutting out ordinary people who have the right to enjoy the river too.
“Hindi naman gagana ‘yung isang proyekto ‘pag hindi naman ‘to ginamit o hindi naman ‘to sinosolve, ‘yung kung ano bang mga problema ng communities,” said Jacolbia, pointing out the importance of consulting with the people.
(A project cannot run without people who can benefit from it and if it does not address the issues of the communities.)
The two advocates also pushed for a law that would ensure protection of Pasig River from projects like PAREX. There is also still the planned Southern Access Link Expressway or SALEX that could affect one end of Pasig River.
One way is to declare Pasig River a heritage site, something which only one city, Makati, has done, through an ordinance.
“It needs to be protected by law, Pasig River, that it’s open for nature and sustainably developed. The laws should make it hard to be co-opted for things or developments that are not people-centric,” said Magcale.
He also pointed out that, in the local development plans of cities that would be traversed by PAREX, the river’s banks were identified mostly as recreational or tourist sites, not as a site for a major road. Thus, if national government were to listen to local government units, PAREX and other projects like it should not be given the green light.
The national agency that had previously coordinated policies for Pasig River, the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, was dissolved by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2019.
Currently, Ilog Pasiglahin is developing a “Pasig River Rehabilitation Guidebook” that encapsulates the “vision” of different communities for the future of the Pasig River. In their book, they enumerated six factors that they believe is essential to a “sustainable Pasig River development.”
– Adelainne Balbin/Rappler.com
Reviving Pasig River and developing it sustainably is among ways groups believe we can #MakeManilaLiveable.
‘Be The Good: Let’s Talk Liveability’ is a special series of conversations about improving quality of life in Metro Manila involving experts, activists, government officials, and ordinary people. If you want to learn more, check this page.
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Marcos, First Lady Liza have made full recovery from flu-like symptoms, says Palace | Dwight de Leon | 25/03/2024 18:36 | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lazy Liza Araneta Marcos depart Tokyo on December 18, 2023, after the conclusion of their four-day visit to Japan for the Commemorative Summit on the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.
Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos are now in excellent health after days of enduring flu-like symptoms, according to Malacañang.
“Their attending physician has confirmed that they are free from all symptoms, enabling them to promptly return to their regular duties, effective immediately,” read a social media post from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Monday, March 25.
“The President has been in meetings today and will resume his public duties tomorrow,” it added.
The President is scheduled to separately welcome Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and a US congressional delegation in Malacañang on Tuesday, March 26.
He will also oversee a sectoral meeting to discuss updates on El Niño in the Philippines and an outlook on La Niña.
Malacañang first disclosed of the first couple’s illness on March 20.
Due to his condition, Marcos canceled his scheduled participation in a media-led presidential luncheon the following day.
That event mounted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) would have allowed journalists to ask Marcos questions covering a wide range of topics.
Malacañang and FOCAP later said that the gathering will be rescheduled. – Rappler.com
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Army confirms killing of BIFF faction training chief in Maguindanao del Sur clash | Herbie G | 25/03/2024 15:26 | CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Authorities confirmed on Monday, March 25, the death of one of the leaders of a faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF), barely a week after the radical group threatened to launch more attacks against the military and police, even during the Ramadan period, in response to government offensives in Maguindanao del Sur.
Brigadier General Jose Vlademir Cagara, commander of the Army’s 1st Brigade, said government troops killed BIFF-Karialan faction leader Abu Halil during a fierce encounter in Maguindanao del Sur last Friday, March 22.
Halil, who served as the training officer of the BIFF faction, is the brother of Khadaf Abdulatif, the group’s chief of staff.
In 2008, the BIFF emerged as a splinter group from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao. Following the demise of its leader, Ameril Umra Kato, in 2015, the organization fragmented into multiple factions, among them Halil’s group.
Cagara said the fierce clash between the soldiers and Halil’s group lasted for 30 minutes in Sitio Binakuyan, Barangay Salbu in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town.
When the armed group retreated, the soldiers searched the encounter site and found the body of Halil, with an M16 rifle with four magazines on his side.
The clash took place approximately 18 kilometers from Datu Hoffer Ampatuan town, where BIFF members killed four soldiers last March 17.
The military said the Karialan faction was not aligned with the Dawlah Islamiya terror organization until it joined forces with a more radical BIFF group – the Bungos faction – in carrying out the March 17 ambush that killed soldiers from the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion. The soldiers killed were identified as Privates Marvin Dumaging and Jessie James Corpuz, Private 1st Class Carl Araña, and Corporal Creszaldy Espartero.
On March 18, the group warned that it would launch more attacks against government forces as it claimed responsibility for the ambush that occurred a day earlier.
The BIFF claimed responsibility for the raid on March 16, targeting a military patrol base in Pagatin, located in Datu Salibo town. During the exchange of gunfire, two soldiers were injured.
Abu Sapyun, spokesperson for the BIFF-Karialan faction, said the recent assaults on the military were in response to ongoing military offensives, such as a raid in Sitio Tatapan, Kitango village in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao del Sur. The military raid resulted in the death of Abdul Kader Animbang, a sibling of BIFF leader Kagi Karialan, and nephew Hamidi Animbang. – Rappler.com
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Angeles toddlers’ death inside car prompts probe into parental accountability | Joann Manabat - CMS | 25/03/2024 17:22 | LIFELESS. The bodies of the two little boys, Darriel and Marvin, were found lifeless inside a parked Toyota Vios on Friday, March 22.
Screencap
ANGELES, Philippines – Authorities are looking into the accountability of the parents of two unattended toddlers who tragically suffocated inside a car in Angeles City. The city’s mayor also directed the local social welfare and development office to reassess regulations pertaining to children’s protection and welfare to prevent such tragedies from occurring again in Angeles City.
The two toddlers, both cousins, were playing beside a parked car on Cuayan Street in Barangay Malabanias, Angeles City, on Friday morning, March 22. It was the last time anyone saw the little boys alive.
Four hours later, the two boys – a three-year-old and a two-year-old – were found dead inside a sun-baked maroon Toyota Vios, with plate number CBE 3794, according to the Angeles City Police Office (ACPO).
The two toddlers, police theorized, managed to enter the car but were unable to get out.
Based on the autopsy conducted by police medico-legal officer Major Noel Villaruel, the children died of asphyxia by suffocation.
The vehicle, which was being used for a ride-hailing app, is now under the custody of ACPO Police Station 4. The case is still under investigation.
The police station’s commander, Major Vicky Tamayo, said the parents of the children have not filed any formal complaint against anyone as of Monday, March 25. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), however, said the children’s parents have sought assistance from the commission and complained.
Questions have been raised in Angeles City about why the toddlers were outside their homes alone.
“We are also investigating the responsibility of the parents. Kasama iyon sa imbestigasyon (It’s part of the investigation),” said Tamayo.
Angeles Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. ordered the Angeles City Social Welfare and Development Office to review government policies and procedures concerning child welfare and protection to avoid a repeat of what happened to the toddlers.
Lazatin said the local council for the protection of children should strengthen its policies on child protection in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The car’s driver, Fermhan Pamintuan, who typically waits for passengers from 3 pm to 7 am every day, told Rappler that he unintentionally left the car unlocked after parking it near his house.
He explained that the car’s battery had been drained earlier while he was at Korea Town on Friendship Road around 5:30 am. Pamintuan subsequently jump-started the car with the assistance of a jeepney driver and returned home to sleep.
While Pamintuan recalled pressing the lock button, he admitted that he did not double-check.
“I had no idea that it wasn’t locked,” he told Rappler.
Pamintuan, who has been getting all the blame from the toddlers’ family for the tragedy, said he did not expect something like that to happen.
“Personally, ala kung balu keng milyari. Eku inexpect na matudtud ku atin lungub anak mamyalung la saken. Ala kung balu. As in itang oras na 7:30 hanggang 1:48 matudtud ku eh,” he said.
(Personally, I have nothing to do with what happened. I did not expect that as I was asleep when the children went inside and played in the car. From 7:30 am to 1:48 pm, I was sleeping.)
Jason Carmona, special investigator of the CHR in Region III, said it was helping the children’s family who wanted to press charges.
Carmona, however, said Pamintuan can also reach out to CHR for assistance, and trust that the commission will be impartial. He said Pamintuan could execute his affidavit with the CHR.
“We have yet to determine if this case falls within our mandate because if a crime was committed by a civilian against another civilian, then it falls within the mandate of the PNP. It’s quite inappropriate to probe now, considering they (families of the toddlers) are grieving. For now, we simply let them know that CHR is here for them,” he said. – Rappler.com
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Marcos, First Lady Liza have ‘flu-like symptoms,’ told to rest – Palace | Dwight de Leon | 20/03/2024 20:50 | RETURN. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos arrive in Manila on March 6, 2024, after their visit to Melbourne, Australia.
Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos have “developed flu-like symptoms,” Malacañang said, citing their “full schedule these last few days.”
“They have been taking fluids and medication to alleviate their symptoms. Currently, their vitals remain stable,” read the statement from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Wednesday, March 20.
“To ensure their speedy recovery, they have been advised by their attending physician to get some rest,” it added.
In the last two weeks, the first couple had been to Australia for a special summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Germany for a working visit, and the Czech Republic for a state visit.
This week in Manila, Marcos attended the ceremonial signing of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport rehabilitation project, met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, oversaw a discussion with congressional leaders on his administration’s priority legislation, attended a World Economic Forum country roundtable, and accommodated Bloomberg for an exclusive interview.
He was also scheduled to attend a presidential luncheon by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on Thursday, March 21. The event would have allowed Filipino and foreign journalists to ask Marcos questions covering a wide range of topics.
PCO Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the President won’t be able to attend Thursday’s event, which will be rescheduled. – Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: No P2,000 Women’s Month cash gift from Landbank | Lorenz Pasion | 25/03/2024 15:00 | Claim: Throughout March, Landbank is offering all women a P2,000 cash gift in celebration of Women’s Month.
Why we fact-checked this: The video containing the claim was posted on March 15 by TikTok account Fyp News Alert with 151,700 followers. As of writing, it has over 6,063 views, 82 likes, 54 comments, and 15 shares.
The video provides information on registering for the supposed cash gift. Interested applicants are instructed to click the link on the TikTok account’s bio to access the application form.
The facts: In a text message to Rappler, Landbank denied offering the cash gift and said it is not affiliated with the TikTok account that posted the claim.
“We wish to clarify that this is not an official TikTok post of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK). We are NOT offering a cash gift worth P2,000.00 in connection with National Women’s Month celebration,” Landbank said.
It added: “We remind everyone to be vigilant against this ongoing scam circulating on Tiktok, urging women to register online in order to claim their free ‘cash gifts’ from LANDBANK. This is fake and is in no way connected to the Bank.”
Landbank also posted an advisory on its official Facebook page on March 22 warning the public about the potential scam.
Phishing risk: The application link provided in the TikTok post doesn’t lead to the official Landbank website, but to an unrelated form that asks users for their personal information, including valid IDs. Disclosing personal information in the fake application form may put social media users at risk of falling victim to phishing scams or identity theft. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing)
Official news: Rappler has debunked false claims related to the bank:
For official updates on Landbank programs and services, refer to the official Landbank website and its social media accounts on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. – Chinie Ann Jocel R. Mendoza/Rappler.comChinie Ann Jocel R. Mendoza is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. You may also report dubious claims to the #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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With PAREX uncertain, advocates ask Marcos: Consult communities for Pasig River revival | Pia Ranada | 25/03/2024 15:19 | DREAMS FOR PASIG RIVER. Jovel Jacolbia and Rigel Magcale of Ilog Pasiglahin show drawings by school children of their 'dreams' for Pasig River. Rappler photo
MANILA, Philippines – With the future of the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) project uncertain, advocates who opposed the project called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to center his Pasig River revival initiative on the needs of communities near the iconic waterway.
Joven Jacolbia and Rigel Magcale, members of volunteer group Ilog Pasiglahin, told Rappler on Friday, March 22, that they would support the President’s and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos’ “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli Project” (PBBM), if it would be based on genuine consultation with communities.
“We welcome the plan because we in Ilog Pasiglahin think that government should take the lead in rehabilitating Pasig River,” said Jacolbia in a Be The Good interview with Rappler community lead Pia Ranada.
“We’ve seen the plans. President Marcos said, it will be people-driven, community-oriented, but right now, unfortunately, none of us–and even none of our partner communities–have been consulted in the drafting or planning the program,” he added.
The “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli Project,” which has the same acronym as Marcos’ name, was officially introduced to the public last January. It has its roots in his July 2023 executive order which created the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD), headed by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and vice-chaired by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
In the plan, 8 areas along the 25-kilometer stretch of the Pasig River will be developed into “people-centric” zones that will feature a mix of commercial spaces, public parks, bike lanes, and jogging areas. Thousands of informal settlers stand to be displaced by the project but the government gave assurances they would be given new homes in permanent relocation sites.
How the Palace-backed river revival plan would jive with PAREX and other road projects near Pasig River confuses groups like Ilog Pasiglahin.
But Marcos’ vision for the river is closer to their goals than the planned expressway.
Jacolbia and Magcale, however, emphasized that genuine public consultation and collaboration with Pasig River communities would make the Marcos plan more sustainable. Without the involvement of communities, it would be easier for another administration to scrap the project. It would also be much easier for private developers to “co-opt” the riverside sites and turn them into enclaves for the rich, shutting out ordinary people who have the right to enjoy the river too.
“Hindi naman gagana ‘yung isang proyekto ‘pag hindi naman ‘to ginamit o hindi naman ‘to sinosolve, ‘yung kung ano bang mga problema ng communities,” said Jacolbia, pointing out the importance of consulting with the people.
(A project cannot run without people who can benefit from it and if it does not address the issues of the communities.)
The two advocates also pushed for a law that would ensure protection of Pasig River from projects like PAREX. There is also still the planned Southern Access Link Expressway or SALEX that could affect one end of Pasig River.
One way is to declare Pasig River a heritage site, something which only one city, Makati, has done, through an ordinance.
“It needs to be protected by law, Pasig River, that it’s open for nature and sustainably developed. The laws should make it hard to be co-opted for things or developments that are not people-centric,” said Magcale.
He also pointed out that, in the local development plans of cities that would be traversed by PAREX, the river’s banks were identified mostly as recreational or tourist sites, not as a site for a major road. Thus, if national government were to listen to local government units, PAREX and other projects like it should not be given the green light.
The national agency that had previously coordinated policies for Pasig River, the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, was dissolved by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2019.
Currently, Ilog Pasiglahin is developing a “Pasig River Rehabilitation Guidebook” that encapsulates the “vision” of different communities for the future of the Pasig River. In their book, they enumerated six factors that they believe is essential to a “sustainable Pasig River development.”
– Adelainne Balbin/Rappler.com
Reviving Pasig River and developing it sustainably is among ways groups believe we can #MakeManilaLiveable.
‘Be The Good: Let’s Talk Liveability’ is a special series of conversations about improving quality of life in Metro Manila involving experts, activists, government officials, and ordinary people. If you want to learn more, check this page.
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Pro-environment group calls for demolition of viral Chocolate Hills resort | jsitchon0312 | 25/03/2024 14:59 | CLOSED. The controversial Captain's Peak Resort has shut down on Thursday, March 14.
Official Facebook Page of DILG Sec Benhur Abalos
CEBU, Philippines – Advocates of the group Tagbilaran Baywatch in Bohol said that government resolutions that endorsed the construction of the controversial Captain’s Peak Resort violated environmental laws and thus should be revoked, and the structures of the erring facility demolished and removed.
In a position paper prepared by lawyer Esther Gertrude Biliran and Leah Wilfreda Chavez, Tagbilaran Baywatch called out the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) for its resolutions which allowed the resort to develop within the area of the Chocolate Hills in Sagbayan town, Bohol.
The resolutions mentioned were PAMB Resolution No. 1, s. 2018 and PAMB Resolution No. 21, s. 2022.
Because these two resolutions “were issued in favor of Captain’s Peak… without any legal basis” and violated the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument status as a protected area, the environment advocacy group called for “permanent closure and removal” of all illegal structures at the Sagbayan area.
Tagbilaran Baywatch added: “We call on the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), PAMB, and/or Sagbayan LGU to initiate legal actions to cause the removal or transfer of the structures of the resort.”
Earlier, officials like Bohol 3rd District Representative Alexie Tutor also called for the demolition of the structures. In a statement on March 13, she said that the resort should not have been allowed to be built at the site in the first place.
“PAMB Resolution No. 1 invoked in the WHEREAS clause Presidential Proclamation No. 333 creating the protected area, and, at the same time, required that the function hall and all other infrastructure should be erected and/or constructed within the 20% area from the base of the hill which is considered as the multiple use zone,” said the statement of Tagbilaran Baywatch.
Under the proclamation, the land within 20 meters from the baseline of every hill outward is considered part of the CHNM and serves as a drawback or buffer zone for the protected area.
“The PAMB resolution, therefore, required Captain’s Peak Resort to construct its building and other infrastructure within the hill itself from the base of the hill upward to 20% thereof. This PAMB resolution grossly violated its invoked Presidential Proclamation No. 333,” the position paper read.
The environmentalists noted that the second resolution did not include again the no-build zone within the hill and the buffer zone 20 meters from the baseline of the hill outward.
“This 20-meter drawback/buffer zone from the baseline outward was recognized by Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-NIPAS) Act of 2018,” the statement said.
Under section 22 of the E-NIPAS Act, all property and private rights within the protected area and its buffer zones already existing and/or vested upon the effectivity of this act are protected and respected in accordance with existing laws.
Tagbilaran Baywatch said that the PAMB should revoke the two resolutions.
“Tagbilaran Baywatch, therefore, supports the call of Senator Nancy Binay and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives to ask the DENR-PAMB to explain why it allowed Captain Peak’s Resort to use at least a 20 percent portion of the Chocolate Hills in its resolution,” they said.
In the same position paper, the Tagbilaran Baywatch also called for the termination and prosecution of negligent government officials that allowed the construction of the resort.
On Thursday, March 21, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos said in a press conference that only a barangay captain served as the chairperson of PAMB when it issued PAMB Resolution No. 1, s. 2018.
In a video posted on the official’s Facebook page, Abalos can be quoted saying, “Ang nag-chair ay isang barangay captain kaya naipasa itong tungkol sa Captain’s Peak (The person who chaired was a barangay captain that’s why the Captain’s Peak resolution was passed).”
Through copies of the resolutions acquired by Rappler, it found out that Tito Ancog, a barangay captain of Canmano at the time, presided over the meeting for the PAMB Resolution No. 1, s. 2018 on February 15, 2018.
However, the 2018 resolution was prepared by PAMB Secretariat Lorna Fernandez, attested by City Environment and Natural Resources officer Laurentino Bautista, and concurred by then-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Central Visayas Regional Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales.
The second meeting for the 2022 resolution was also presided by Ancog. The resolution was still prepared by Fernandez but was now reviewed by Provincial Environment and Natural Resources officer Ariel Rica.
DENR Central Visayas Regional Executive Director Paquito D. Melicor Jr. concurred and signed on the 2022 resolution on July 14, 2022.
In both resolutions, the DENR Central Visayas directors were each indicated as the PAMB Chairman.
The Tagbilaran Baywatch insisted that there should be a payment of damages to the owner of Captain’s Peak Resort by the government or erring government officials for losses suffered by the resort owner.
“These officials allowed the owner to construct and operate the resort which turned out to be illegal,” their position paper read.
As of Tuesday, March 19, the Office of the Ombudsman has begun a probe into the controversy. – Rappler.com
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[EDITORIAL] Sorry Arnie Teves, walang golf sa kulungan | Lilibeth Frondoso | 25/03/2024 13:21 | Nico Villarete
Ang sarap pa rin ng buhay ng puganteng si Arnie Teves – na dinakip ng lokal na otoridad ng Timor-Leste habang siya’y nag-go-golf sa capital city Dili sa bisa ng isang Interpol red notice.
Tila na under-estimate ni Teves ang bisa ng red notice alert, na halos nagsisilbing international warrant.
Ayon kay Department of Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano, nag-meeting na ang mga gobyerno ng Timor-Leste at Pilipinas at napag-usapan ang “most feasible, fastest, and safest way” para maibalik si Teves sa Pilipinas. Malamang ay sa pamamagitan ng deportation dahil kanselado na ang passport ni Teves.
To be clear, innocent until proven guilty si Teves sa pagpaslang sa isa pang elected official – si noo’y governor Roel Degamo – pero kailangan muna siyang humarap sa korte. Malaki ang implikasyon sa pagkatao ni Teves nang siya ay nagpugante – isa siyang kongresista bago nasipa mula sa Mababang Kapulungan. Nanumpa siyang itataguyod ang batas ng Pilipinas.
Ginawa na rin ito ng ilang elected officials. Andiyan si dating senator Panfilo Lacson, na naging pugante nang 15 buwan dahil sa pagkakasangkot sa Dacer-Corbito murder case.
Andiyan din ang dating governor ng Palawan na si Joel Reyes na akusado sa pagpatay sa environmental activist at journalist na si Doc Gerry Ortega. May 13 taon nang pugante is Reyes, at mismong international journalists na ang nanawagan na lutasin na ang pagpaslang kay Ortega.
Habang nag-go-golf si Ginoong Teves sa Timor-Leste, tinitiis ng iba pang mga akusado ang kulungan, tulad ni dating justice secretary at senadora Leila de Lima na ipinaglaban ang kanyang kawalang-sala sa mga korte.
Sa pag-akusa kay Teves na siyang mastermind sa pagpatay kay Degamo, muli na namang na-e-expose ang bayolenteng warlordism sa bansa, lalo na sa probinsiya. ‘Yan ang kultura ng patayan ng mga politiko na kung saan hindi bababa sa 10 mayor at 18 vice mayor ang namatay mula nang maupo si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hanggang 2023.
At walang ‘sing garapal ang pagpatay kay Degamo dahil hindi lang siya incumbent, pinatay siya sa sarili niyang tahanan in broad daylight, kung saan siyam na ordinaryong mamamayan ang namatay at 12 ang sugatan sa crossfire.
Walang pinag-iba si Teves sa most wanted ng FBI na doomsday preacher na si Apollo Quiboloy na nagtatago ngayon at gamit din ang excuse na “nanganganib ang kanyang buhay.” Wanted siya dahil sa labor trafficking scheme ng simbahan niyang Kingdom of Jesus Christ na nagdala ng mga miyembro sa US gamit ang umano’y “fraudulently obtained visas.”
Pinuwersa pa nito ang mga miyembro na mag-solicit para sa pekeng charity, habang ang mga donasyon ay ginagamit sa simbahan at tinutustusan ang marangyang buhay ng mga lider ng KOJC. Kasama rin sa charges sa US ang sex trafficking kung saan dumanas ng pang-aabusong sekswal ang mga babaeng miyembro ng simbahan sa kanyang kamay.
Si Reyes, Quiboloy, at Teves ay mga puganteng malinaw na walang paggalang sa batas at proseso ng bansa, at lalong walang respeto sa sistema ng hustisya. Hindi sila mga “helpless” na akusado – mga tao silang tumatamasa ng malawak na kapangyarihan sa lipunan na may access sa de-kalibreng abogado at mga “friends in high places.” Kung totoong inosente sila, magiging mahirap ibaon ang katotohanan.
Impunity ang tawag diyan, at habang nagpapatuloy sa paggu-goodtime ang mga puganteng ito – lalo lang lumilinaw na mga dukha lang ang nakukulong sa Pilipinas. O yung mga tulad ni De Lima na may prinsipyo at hindi nag-isip na maging fugitive.
Sana’y kasing sidhi rin ng pagtugis kay Teves ang pagtugis kay Quiboloy. Si Quiboloy ang magiging litmus test kung talagang may piring sa mga mata si Lady Justice sa Pilipinas at kung hindi ito mababaligtad kahit ng impluwensiya ng mga Duterte at isang Robinhood Padilla.
At sorry, Teves, wala ka nang access sa golf sa kulungan. Pero huwag tumangis, hindi kami magtataka kung magkaka-access ka sa ibang luho sa buhay, tulad ng aircon, appliances, cellphone, at masarap na pagkain. Dahil kahit sa kulungan, langit ang pinagkaiba ng mahirap at mayaman. – Rappler.com
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Ang malungkot na katotohanang ito ay nagpagalit sa akin: “… kahit sa kulungan, langit ang pinagkaiba ng mahirap at mayaman.” Mayroon bang anumang maaaring gawin tungkol dito?
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‘Special championship’: Terrence Hill lifts Fil-Am Nation to first NBTC title | Jasmine Payo | 24/03/2024 23:53 | BIG GAME. Fil-Am Nation's Terrence Hill drives past his Adamson defender in the NBTC finals.
NBTC
MANILA, Philippines – If there is one player who made the most of his NBTC stint, it was Terrence Hill.
Led by the US NCAA Division I-bound Hill, Fil-Am Nation Select bagged its first NBTC championship after dispatching the Adamson Baby Falcons, 79-71, culminating a weeklong National Finals at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, March 24.
Hill finished with 12 markers, 4 boards, and 5 dimes to ultimately lift the Fil-Ams over the hump after losing to the National University Bullpups in the finals last year.
“This is a special championship,” said Hill. “It was great representing my family, my team in the States, and myself as a player.”
“It was fun to have done this with my Fil-Am guys, coming out here and winning in the Philippines,” he added.
With Adamson knocking on the championship door, Hill scored 6 in the Select team’s 11-3 finishing run en route to the title.
Named the Most Outstanding Player, Hill averaged 17.7 points per game on an efficient 34.4% shooting from beyond the arc throughout the tournament.
Andy Gemao topscored in the championship game with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, along with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.
Caelum Harris, meanwhile, finished with 13 markers, 4 boards, and 4 blocks for the squad of American teen talents with Filipino roots.
“I have a pretty stacked group of guys” said Hill of his teammates. “They played very well each game, distributing the ball and making shots. Everyone can do a lot of things.”
After being down double-digits entering the fourth quarter, Adamson tied it up with 4:34 left, 68-68, before the Fil-Ams stirred the run that ultimately fended off the Baby Falcons’ last-gasp rally.
“We knew Terrence could close out a game. We knew Andy could close out moments. These guys survived on that,” said Fil-Am Select coach Chris Gavina.
As Hill impressed in the championship run, Gavina expects the spitfire scorer to continue his stellar play at Utah State University in the US NCAA Division 1.
“Utah State is going to have one hell of a player,” said Gavina of Hill. “For me, in the entire tournament, he was our anchor. He seemed to be the most mature, the most composed when we needed it.”
Tebol Garcia, the fifth-ranked player from Adamson, posted 20 points but it all went to naught as the Baby Falcons could not find a way to stop the Fil-Ams down the stretch.
The loss derailed Adamson’s hopes for a second title in two months after winning the UAAP Season 86 juniors basketball championship in February.
“I expect Adamson and their players to make more noise here in the Philippines,” said Hill. “They are a really talented group, and they impressed me in this game.”
In Division 2, Top Flight Canada escaped Ecogreen-Makati in overtime, 95-93, to become the first foreign team in tournament history to win a title.
Joining Hill in the Division 1 Mythical Five were Fil-Am Nation teammates Gemao and Jacob Bayla, and Adamson’s Garcia and Vince Reyes. Fil-Am Eian Lowe was also recognized as Best Defensive Player. – Rappler.com
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‘Real’ Ateneo excites captain Roma Doromal as confidence builds in UAAP second round | jisaga0269 | 24/03/2024 19:12 | REASONS TO SMILE. The Ateneo Blue Eagles react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament
UAAP Season 86 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo Blue Eagles continue to defy preseason expectations in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament after notching their third win in a series sweep of the UP Fighting Maroons on Sunday, March 24.
Although only holding a 3-6 record with no wins against the current top four, the underdog Eagles are nonetheless coming off a five-set scare of the undefeated UST Golden Tigresses and have always given a competitive fight in almost all their losses.
For libero captain Roma Mae Doromal, this sparked fire is all the motivation they could ask for as they start the second round of eliminations on a high note.
“I feel like [the biggest change] now is we’ve embraced our respective roles,” Doromal said after shoring up the 25-14, 25-20, 25-15 rout – Ateneo’s first sweep win of the season.
“At the same time, we’ve seen now that this is the real Ateneo. This is how we really play. This is what we’ve trained for. We’ve seen how hard it is to apply in games what we’ve learned in training, but now, this is it, this is the real Ateneo.”
Sure enough, in recent games, Ateneo has found its go-to attacking trio as Lyann de Guzman, Sobe Buena, and Zel Tsunashima stay on top of the team’s scoring leaderboard, while Doromal continues to support with her reliable floor defense.
Against UP, with De Guzman and Buena checked to single-digit outputs, it was Tsunashima who took up the scoring cudgels with a game-high 16 points on 13 attacks and 3 blocks to make up for the lost numbers.
“For me, coming to round two, our mindset is to really have fun inside the game, and show that good energy coach [Sergio Veloso] has been saying. As Ate Roms said, we’re just embracing our roles,” she said.
With five games left in the elimination round, the Eagles – once brushed aside with the cellar-dwellers – are still within striking distance of the fourth seed.
“In the next few games, hopefully, we get more aggressive and embrace coach Sergio’s system and lessons even more,” Doromal continued.
“Hopefully, we really get into the Final Four.” – Rappler.com
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FACT CHECK: No Marcos ‘order’ to arrest ex-president Duterte over drug accusations | Lorenz Pasion | 25/03/2024 14:41 | Claim: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte after the latter accused Marcos of using illegal drugs.
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in a YouTube video posted on March 1 by a channel with 387,000 subscribers. The video garnered 27,471 views, 602 likes, and 336 comments as of writing.
The title of the YouTube video states: “Hatul ng korte! PBBM ginulat si Duterte! Bukas gusto ipakulong! Nagdeklara ng warrant of arrest!” (Court verdict! PBBM surprised Duterte! Declared a warrant of arrest, intending to imprison Duterte tomorrow!)
The video’s thumbnail also shows images of the two. Marcos is shown seemingly holding up a document with text implying that this was the arrest warrant.
The facts: Marcos has not ordered Duterte’s arrest, and there is no evidence of him explicitly saying so. Furthermore, an arrest warrant can only be issued by a judge or a court that will authorize the arrest or detention of a person. According to Article III, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution, “no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be determined personally by the judge after examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce […].”
For an arrest warrant to be issued, a judge must have first conducted a preliminary investigation and found probable cause based on a complaint filed before the court. However, there are no reports of Marcos filing a complaint against Duterte over the former president’s drug use allegation.
Word war: Duterte claimed Marcos was a drug addict during his speech at the Davao City rally against charter change on January 28, adding that he even saw Marcos’ name in the list of drug personalities of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency when he was mayor.
The former president said, “Bongbong, bangag ‘yan. That’s why sinasabi ko sa inyo. Si Bongbong Marcos bangag noon. Ngayong presidente na, bangag ang ating presidente. Kayong mga military alam ninyo ‘yan, lalo na ‘yong mga nasa Malacañang, alam ninyo. The Armed Forces of the Philippines, alam ninyo. May drug addict tayo na presidente! Putang inang ‘yan!”
(Bongbong, he’s high. That’s why I’m telling you. Bongbong Marcos was high back then. Now that he’s the president, he’s still high. You in the military, especially those in Malacañang, you know it. The Armed Forces of the Philippines, you know it. We have a drug addict for a president! That son of a bitch!)
Change of tone: Weeks after their word war, Duterte changed his tune and denied calling Marcos a drug addict in a press conference on February 27.
“Wala akong sinabi na ganoon, even if you kill me a thousand times, wala akong sinabing ganoon (I did not say that. Even if you kill me a thousand times, I did not say such a thing),” Duterte said.
Meanwhile, Marcos earlier said that Duterte’s use of fentanyl was the reason for the former president’s statements against him. He also alleged that Duterte had been taking the drug “for a very long time.”
Following this, Duterte’s former chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo said Duterte had used the drug to relieve pain from a motorcycle accident, but that he had stopped taking it even before his presidency. Duterte used the drug upon the prescription of his doctor, Panelo said. – Rappler.com
This fact check was written by a group of students under the Social Media and Dynamics class of Professor Patrick Ernest Celso from the University of Santo Tomas. It was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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[OPINYON] Puting buhok at ang mapaminsalang ageism | Miriam Grace Go | 25/03/2024 9:00 | “Hindi ako senior” (may kasamang simangot).
Kapag may nakita kang isang tao na may puting buhok, please lang, huwag mo naman siya tanungin, “Senior ba kayo?” Security guard ka man sa isang bangko, cashier sa grocery, o kaya staff sa isang opisina na may priority lane, malamang gusto mo lang makatulong. Marahil ay busilak ang iyong puso, pero sana mag-isip isip ka muna.
Ang pagkakaroon ng puting buhok ay hindi palatandaan na ang isang tao ay 60 years old pataas, senior citizen, ’ika nga. Sa isang artikulo sa Harvard Health, binigyan-diin ni Dr. Robert H. Shmerling na, higit sa stress, mas malaking salik ang genetics kung kailan at paano puputi ang buhok ng isang tao. Samakatuwid, maaaring maagang pumuti ang buhok dahil nasa lahi ito. May mga karamdaman din na nagdudulot ng premature graying.
Kaya imbes na makatulong, nainsulto mo pa ’yung tao na pinaghinalaan mong senior citizen. Iwasan mo rin pahiyain at pagtawanan ang suspect mo sa harap ng maraming tao, sabay pagkutya, “Akala ko kasi matanda ka na!” at baka masakal ka. Dahil nahimasmasan na ako ilang araw matapos mangyari sa akın ito, nagagawa ko nang magbiro.
Subalit ang isyu ng ageism ay hindi biro. Ayon sa World Health Organization (WHO), ang ageism ay “stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age.” Dapat nating seryosohin dahil lahat tayo, kung papalarin, ay mabubuhay nang matagal kasama ang mga mahal natin. Lahat tayo, maaapektuhan kung pababayaan natin ang mababang pagtingin sa mga nakatatanda.
Madalas ay bunga ito ng hasty generalization na sila ay mahina at kaawa-awa, na kahit priority lane ay hindi nila kayang hanapin. Sabi ko nga sa isang bank manager, hindi kailangang tanungin ng guwardiya ang bawat taong makita niya na may puting buhok kung ito ay senior. Kung senior nga, the fact na meron itong transaksiyon sa bangko ay patunay na siguro na hindi mahina ang isip at katawan nito.
Marami pang halimbawa ang ageism, lalo na ’yung sinasadya. Sa mga kompanya, isang pagpapakita ng ageism ang preferential hiring o kaya ay unjust promotion na edad ang naging basehan at hindi ang kakayahan. Sa buong mundo, marami nang naisampang kaso kaugnay nito, at may mga nagsakdal na nanalo.
Bantayan din natin ang unconscious ageism, tulad ng awtomatikong pagpili ng isang nakababatang empleado na magbigay ng report kung bakit madali ang online work, at isang nakatatanda kung bakit mahirap. P’wede namang pagpalitin o gawing pareho ang tanong sa kanila, ’di ba? Sa wikang Ingles, compliment ang kasabihan na “aging like fine wine.” Bilang isang lipunan, bakit hindi natin tratuhin ang pagtanda tulad ng pagtangkilik sa premyadong alak, na habang tumatagal ay lalong pinahahalagahan?
Baguhin natin ang ating pananaw dahil lubos na nakakapinsala ang ageism. Nalilimitahan nito ang ating mga oportunidad sa propesyonal at personal na buhay. Sabi rin ng WHO, dahil may epekto ito sa socioeconomic status, malaki ang impact sa ating physical at mental health. May kaugnayan din ito sa maagang pagkamatay dahil nababawasan daw ang buhay ng mga 7.5 taon.
Malaki ang magagawa natin sa paglaban sa ageism. Tulad ng gender stereotypes, nagsisimula at unang nabubuo ang mga stereotypes ukol sa ageism sa ating mga tahanan, paaralan, media, at iba pang agents of socialization kung saan tayo ay kabahagi. Nakukulayan ang ating paniniwala at pagkilos dahil makapangyarihan ang nakikita at nadidinig natin sa ating paligid. Mapanira ang ageism dahil hindi lamang nito hinahadlangan ang iba kundi pati ang ating mga sarili. Sabi ko nga sa kaibigan kong mas malakas pa sa akin, mahirap umunlad kung ikaw mismo ang naniniwala na wala ka nang silbi dahil lamang sa edad mo.
Dahil nasa mga kamay natin ang pagbabago, darating ang panahon na mas magiging exciting ang pagiging senior citizen. Masayang manood ng libreng sine at kumain ng regalong cake, pero may isang bagay na sigurado ako: mas masarap maramdaman ang matinding respeto at pagpapahalaga natin sa isa’t isa. – Rappler.com
Si Maria Pia F. Luque ay nagtapos ng MA Education (Educational Psychology) sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman. Isa siya sa mga manunulat sa anthology na Savor the Word, na itinanghal bilang Best Book of Leisure sa 32nd National Book Awards.
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Manila asks Beijing: Are you sincere in promoting South China Sea peace? | Bea Cupin | 25/03/2024 13:22 | WATER CANNONS. The Unaizah May 4 is hit by the China Coast Guard's water cannon during a mission to Ayungin Shoal on March 23, 2024.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines on Monday, March 25, questioned if China was sincere in “lowering the tensions and promoting peace and stability in the South China Sea” as it protested yet another case of harassment by the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) during a mission to bring soldiers and supplies to a military outpost in Ayungin Shoal.
“China’s aggressive actions call into question its sincerity in lowering the tensions and promoting peace and stability in the South China Sea. Even as the Philippines continues to engage China in dialogue and diplomacy at the bilateral and multilateral levels, China’s aggressive actions contradict and put to waste ASEAN-China efforts to promote practical activities to foster peace and cooperation in the region,” said Department of Foreign affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza, in a statement released to media.
On March 23, CCG and CMM ships harassed, shadowed, and used water cannons against Philippine ships on a mission to bring supplies and soldiers to the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II ship purposefully run aground in 1999 to serve as an outpost in the area.
A wooden ship contracted by the military to bring supplies, the Unaizah May 4, was hit by the CCG’s water cannons as it tried to approach the shoal. Philippine officials said Navy personnel were also injured during the mission.
Manila summoned on Monday morning the Chinese embassy’s Charge d’affaires Zhou Zhiyong “to convey the Philippines’ strong protest against the aggressive actions undertaken by the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia” during the March 23 mission.
The Philippines’ embassy in Beijing has been instructed to file the same protest before the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“In these demarches, the Philippines stressed, among others, that China has no right to be in Ayungin Shoal, a low-tide elevation that lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS and as affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Award,” said Daza.
UNCLOS is the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, while the 2016 Arbitral Award is a ruling that stemmed from the Philippines taking China to court. According to the ruling, Beijing’s sweeping claim of the South China Sea, including parts of the West Philippine Sea, is invalid.
China has refused to recognize the ruling and has insisted that Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal, a feature located just over 100 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan, is theirs.
“China’s continued interference with the Philippines’ routine and lawful activities in its own exclusive economic zone is unacceptable. It infringes upon the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction.The Philippines demands that Chinese vessels leave the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal and the Philippine exclusive economic zone immediately,” said Daza.
The DFA spokesperson added: “The Philippines urges China to take the correct track of abiding by international law and respecting the legitimate rights of other states like the Philippines, and to cease and desist from its continued violation of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award.”
In a separate statement released also on Monday, the DFA said that aside from the summon in Manila and the demarche in Beijing, Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro also spoke to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong to relay Manila’s “strongest protest against the aggressive actions undertaken by the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia” during the resupply mission.
According to the DFA, the Philippines has lodged 14 protests against China in 2024 alone as of March 25. Since Marcos came into power, the Philippines has lodged 147 protests or notes verbales against China.
During the March 23 mission, Philippine vessels – the Unaizah May 4 and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)’s BRP Cabra – were subjected to dangerous maneuvers and blocking attempts by Chinese ships. At one point, a CCG ship sailed in reverse in one attempt to block the Unaizah May 4.
While the wooden ship was unable to make it to the Sierra Madre itself, the Philippines was still able to bring soldiers and “essential supplies” to its makeshift outpost through rubber boats. This is the second time in March 2024 alone that China used water cannons in an attempt to stop the Philippines from its mission to Ayungin.
In early March, the Unaizah May 4’s windshield was shattered from the impact of two CCG water cannons.
Previous resupply missions have been just as fraught. Aside from dangerous maneuvers, shadowing, and water cannon use, collisions have occurred between China and the Philippines in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal.
On March 23, hours after the mission, China’s foreign ministry told the Philippines that it “should be prepared to bear all potential consequences” if it “insists on going its own way” in the South China Sea. Foreign governments issued statements in support of the Philippines, calling out China for its “dangerous” behavior at sea.
Under the Marcos administration, Manila has taken a stronger stance on China’s encroachment of the West Philippine Sea. China has bristled over the government’s approach, berating both Manila and its allies – the United States, especially – of supposedly “stirring up trouble” in the South China Sea.
The March 23 resupply took place just days after Washington announced that US President Joe Biden would be hosting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in the White House for the first-ever US-Japan-PH summit. – Rappler.com
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China’s true intent in dialogue and diplomacy at the bilateral and multilateral levels is just for show. But its dark intent is shown by its “aggressive actions.” Should the Philippine Government keep asking about China’s sincerity? Are not the latter’s actions enough to show its insincerity?
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Basketball bloodline: How young Kieffer Alas etches his name on court | Jasmine Payo | 24/03/2024 20:36 | RISING. NBTC All-Star MVP Kieffer Alas (center) with brother Kevin (left) and NBTC program director Eric Altamirano.
NBTC
MANILA, Philippines – Kieffer Alas literally grew up on a basketball court.
About 12 years ago, a 4-year-old Alas was a fixture at the Letran Knights’ games, then led by his brother Kevin and coached by his father Louie.
In Letran’s practices, the toddler even brushed elbows with now PBA stars Raymond Almazan, Kevin Racal, and Converge assistant coach McJour Luib.
The kid had since grown up to be one of the Gilas Youth program’s cornerstones, leading the country to a FIBA Under-17 World Championship berth last year, and is now the second-ranked high school player in the country in the NBTC rankings.
“Coming from a basketball family, my name is just known because of them. Now, I get to have a chance to have a name for myself,” said the 16-year-old guard, who, in recent years, has been dominating his age group.
Playing for De La Salle Zobel since elementary, Alas won titles as early as age 9, played as an import for an Indonesian team when he was 12, and was picked for an NBA camp in Singapore last year before shining in the FIBA U16 Asian Championship where he was named to the tournament’s All-Star Five.
In the recently concluded UAAP Season 86 juniors basketball tournament, the youngest of Louie Alas’ sons finished as runner-up in the Most Valuable Player race behind foreign player Collins Akowe of National University.
“I just thank the Lord God for putting me in this position,” said the soft-spoken Alas, who was named MVP in the NBTC’s All-Star festivities on Saturday, March 23.
“I’m grateful that my family is always there for me. They always support me in every way they can,” he added.
Aside from Kevin, who is part of the Gilas Pilipinas seniors squad that won gold in the 2023 Asian Games, Kieffer’s brothers JunJun and Kenneth also grew up as basketball players, playing in the NCAA.
Meanwhile, their father Louie has recently been added to the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ coaching staff and is the incumbent head coach of the MPBL team Zamboanga Valientes.
Kevin, Louie, and mother Liza were all at the sidelines to support Kieffer in the NBTC All-Star game.
“It feels good to see them constantly supporting me. I know they got my back whenever I play,” Alas said.
Alas is expected to carry the country’s flag again in the June Under-17 World Cup, along with some NBTC stars who played in Saturday’s All-Star game.
Now entering senior high school, Kieffer has nothing in mind but to improve and evolve into the basketball superstar most people expect him to be.
“I have no plans but to continue to work on myself and be better every day,” he said. – Rappler.com
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Stalemate in negotiations leaves Cagayan de Oro water supply hanging | Herbie G | 25/03/2024 12:37 | FALL IN LINE. Residents fall in line to fetch water provided by a tanker sent by the city hall during a water supply interruption in Barangay Canitoan, Cagayan de Oro.
Cagayan de Oro City Information Office
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Uncertainty hounded Cagayan de Oro’s tap water supply as negotiations between the local water district and its primary source of treated bulk water reached a stalemate.
Engineer Antonio Young, general manager of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD), confirmed that they met online with representatives of the Metro Pacific Water on Thursday, March 21, in the hope of settling a dispute over a debt of over P400 million.
The supplier, Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Incorporated (COBI), a company controlled by business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, has given COWD notices of disconnection as it demanded payment of the debt which the water district did not acknowledge. COBI extended the deadline from March 31 to April 12.
The COBI notices have caused alarm in the city in that they threaten to cut off about half of the water supply which COWD distributes in the city.
Young said the COWD asked COBI not to discontinue the supply of bulk water and instead go to court for them to determine if the water district really needed to pay the disputed debt.
He pointed out that the COWD is a government-owned and -controlled corporation, subject to state auditing rules and which cannot just decide to release funds for a debt that has not been acknowledged.
The disputed debt represents the accumulated difference of a rate increase from P16.60 per cubic meter to P20.57 which COBI implemented in 2021. Last January, COBI increased the rates again to P24.19 per cubic meter.
COWD has rejected the price increases as it invoked a force majeure clause in its 2017 contract with COBI, citing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the contract, COBI can make rate adjustments every three years from 2017.
“[If] there’s a court order, our office will be compelled to pay. That would be our legal basis,” Young told Rappler.
He said the COWD releasing payments for the disputed debt would likely lead to notices of disallowances from the Commission on Audit (COA).
COBI warned that unless COWD settled its obligations, it would be forced to resort to “legal and contractual remedies.”
COBI legal counsel Roberto Rodrigo, however, said that a water supply disconnection would be the bulk water supplier’s last resort.
Rodrigo said COBI would not go to court yet and would bring the matter to the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) which approved the 2017 contract, the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), or the COA.
“We are still studying what’s the best angle, and we have to do our research,” Rodrigo said.,
He said COBI was hoping to receive a response from any of the government agencies before the April 12 deadline.
Rodrigo noted that the decision for the COWD not to acknowledge the rate adjustments boiled down to a resolution that was passed by the water district’s board of directors in 2021.
The resolution contains the invocation of the force majeure clause and the decision not to acknowledge the rate adjustment.
Rodrigo maintained that the COWD should start acknowledging the rate adjustments so it could pay up, a matter which Young said was not possible.
“It’s only possible if there’s a legal basis to acknowledge the debt. The [COWD] board approved the contract of COBI way back through a board resolution. So, in other words, they could also be disapproved now through a board resolution,” Young said.
Young said the COWD also proposed amendments to the 2017 COWD-COBI contract, including the provision that allows the bulk water supplier to make rate adjustments every three years. COBI representatives, however, said they would need to study the provisions that COWD requested to change and their possible impact on their business.
“For us, it’s not a good practice if you keep changing the provisions in the agreement,” Rodrigo said. – Rappler.com
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After ‘Selos,’ Shaira’s ‘Forever Single (Walang Jowa)’ also removed from streaming platforms | Ysa Abad | 25/03/2024 11:39 | Shairaa Moro Singer's Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – Days after her viral hit song “Selos” was taken down from all online streaming platforms, fans of “Bangsamoro pop” singer Shaira noticed on Sunday, March 24 that her track “Forever Single (Walang Jowa)” was also no longer available online.
The cover song, which previously charted in the Top 10 of Spotify PH’s viral songs, can no longer be played on the platform on Monday, March 25. The song’s music video has also been set to private.
Shaira's "Forever Single (Walang Jowa)" has also been taken down from online streaming platforms. pic.twitter.com/LulmEJ4aRH
As of writing, Shaira’s agency AHS Productions has yet to address the removal of “Forever Single (Walang Jowa)” online. However, netizens have earlier pointed out that Shaira’s “Forever Single (Walang Jowa)” sounds similar to the song “Masih Mencintainya” of the Indonesian band Papinka.
“Forever Single (Walang Jowa)” is the second song of Shaira’s that has been taken down from online streaming platforms, following “Selos.”
AHS Productions clarified on March 20 that they voluntarily removed “Selos” from all online streaming platforms as they are currently in the process of clarifying “the legality of the publication of the song.” They also acknowledged that “Selos,” which had gone viral on TikTok and other social media platforms, uses the melody of Lenka’s 2008 song “Trouble Is A Friend.”
As of writing, Shaira has 626,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Some of her other songs that are still available to stream on Spotify include “Datu Manis,” “Pakboy – Fuckboy,” and “Natipbad (Lalakeng Abusado),” among others. – Rappler.com
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From Taylor Sheesh to The Smyths: Why tribute acts can no longer be considered just cheap copies | Marguerite de Leon | 25/03/2024 12:54 | Hundreds of Cebuano Swifties cheer as Philippines top Taylor Swift impersonators Taylor Sheesh and Taylor Shiteh, perform the pop star's greatest hits to life, at the "Enchantment: The Eras Tour Listening Party,” at a mall in Cebu City on July 27, 2023.
Jacqueline Hernandez/Rappler
The tribute music scene has evolved time and again since it first emerged more than 60 years ago.
Beginning with Elvis impersonators, tribute acts garnered somewhat of a “grubby” reputation through the 1970s and ’80s. They became synonymous with glitter, wigs, jumpsuits, and elaborate stage props – frowned upon by anyone with an ounce of self-perceived integrity.
However, while these acts mainly existed as tributes to music no longer accessible, in recent years we’ve seen an increase in artists being tributed while they’re still active.
For the many Australian “Swifties” left without tickets for the recent Eras tour, tribute shows offered a financially viable alternative. Interstate fans who couldn’t embark on a “swiftcation” could instead see Adelaide sister duo Reputation.
In Melbourne, drag star Taylor Sheesh performed “The Errors Tour” for a crowd of thousands, while Taylor Swift performed about a kilometer away at the MCG.
But while they say it’s the sincerest form of flattery, can tribute acts really come close to the “real thing?”
It’s not only affordability and accessibility that make tribute shows appealing. Experiencing live music in a smaller, dedicated live music venue also provides audiences with a much more personal experience.
Perth-based Ed Sheeran tribute singer Joe Boshell said, as a fan, he would much rather experience his musical heroes in a more intimate setting. “Obviously these tributes are not the real guys but the sound can be better [at smaller venues],” he said.
“You feel like you’re at a gig rather than watching it from miles away on the [stage-side] TV screen.”
The experience at a stadium can sometimes feel detached and isolated. Not to mention, climate change and extreme weather events are making it increasingly difficult to hold large festivals and outdoor stadium concerts.
Smaller venues are usually indoors and offer easy access to the bar and toilets, liberating people of the conundrum of giving up a hard-earned vantage point to relieve a bursting bladder.
At tribute shows, you can even initiate a dialogue with the band onstage, or share a drink with them afterwards. They’re often happy to chat as fellow fans of the music – and don’t have to be whizzed off to a nearby hotel.
This experience surrounds you with friends, loved ones, and like-minded individuals. Tribute events aren’t just a spectacle, but an immersive, participatory outlet.
You might be wondering: should the original artist hold precedence when it comes to performing their music?
While it seems like a straightforward question, the answer isn’t always simple. As ageing rockers become distant from their original ethos, some argue they may as well be performing a tribute to their former selves.
For example, Morrissey of fabled indie pop band The Smiths has little in common with his 1980s back catalogue that he still performs today. Many fans feel “betrayed” at his political transition from leftist torchbearer for disillusioned youths to an outspoken rightist provocateur.
Another consideration is that tribute acts aren’t just imitative; they have their own personality.
Graham Sampson, the lead singer of The Smiths tribute band, The Smyths, said their audiences desired a more individual performance. They want the band to “be themselves” rather than provide a “pantomime” version.
Accessibility is a major factor contributing to the popularity of tribute scenes throughout Australia. Perth had more than 70 ticketed tribute shows dedicated to ska, punk, and Britpop in 2022 alone – and as many as five tributes to Oasis over the past few years.
Tributes now jostle for space in a competing musical landscape, striving to prove their legitimacy as cultural ambassadors of music history. This competition is driven further by the fact that our love for old music is far from shrinking. In fact, music of the past increasingly dominates the music charts today.
At the same time, tributes reflect our society’s desire for streamlined consumption: getting what we want, when we want it. They are therefore a corrosive agent in local original music scenes.
An abundance of tribute shows gives fans a choice of what music they can experience on any given night, rather than having to “take a punt on an original band,” as one Perth promoter grimly said.
This is where tribute acts differ from “cover bands.” Cover bands play a mix of hits that appeal to a broad demographic, rather than targeting individual taste groups.
Swedish rock band The Hives is now looking to franchise tribute bands across the globe (seemingly drawing on The Wiggles’ blueprint). We may be on the cusp of a new era where tribute shows can achieve commercial prominence.
In a similar vein, the Netherlands now has a tribute-based Battle of the Bands TV show. And this isn’t a big leap from the 2005 reality TV show Rock Star: INXS, in which contestants battled it out to replace deceased lead singer Michael Hutchence.
“Tributing” is undoubtedly dribbling into all areas of the music industry. We live in a world where The Rolling Stones continue to make commercially successful music that offers little more than a reminder of their younger years, and where AI is used to reincarnate deceased musicians and release songs written decades ago.
Clearly, tribute shows aren’t the sole contributors to a lack of forward propulsion in music. Perhaps, for the time being, we should focus on what they do offer: an affordable, accessible, and intimate space to celebrate the music we love with others who love it, too. – Rappler.com
Colin Outhwaite is a PhD Candidate, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University.
This piece was originally published in The Conversation.
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Manila asks Beijing: Are you sincere in promoting South China Sea peace? | Bea Cupin | 25/03/2024 13:22 | WATER CANNONS. The Unaizah May 4 is hit by the China Coast Guard's water cannon during a mission to Ayungin Shoal on March 23, 2024.
Armed Forces of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines on Monday, March 25, questioned if China was sincere in “lowering the tensions and promoting peace and stability in the South China Sea” as it protested yet another case of harassment by the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) during a mission to bring soldiers and supplies to a military outpost in Ayungin Shoal.
“China’s aggressive actions call into question its sincerity in lowering the tensions and promoting peace and stability in the South China Sea. Even as the Philippines continues to engage China in dialogue and diplomacy at the bilateral and multilateral levels, China’s aggressive actions contradict and put to waste ASEAN-China efforts to promote practical activities to foster peace and cooperation in the region,” said Department of Foreign affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza, in a statement released to media.
On March 23, CCG and CMM ships harassed, shadowed, and used water cannons against Philippine ships on a mission to bring supplies and soldiers to the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II ship purposefully run aground in 1999 to serve as an outpost in the area.
A wooden ship contracted by the military to bring supplies, the Unaizah May 4, was hit by the CCG’s water cannons as it tried to approach the shoal. Philippine officials said Navy personnel were also injured during the mission.
Manila summoned on Monday morning the Chinese embassy’s Charge d’affaires Zhou Zhiyong “to convey the Philippines’ strong protest against the aggressive actions undertaken by the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia” during the March 23 mission.
The Philippines’ embassy in Beijing has been instructed to file the same protest before the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“In these demarches, the Philippines stressed, among others, that China has no right to be in Ayungin Shoal, a low-tide elevation that lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS and as affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Award,” said Daza.
UNCLOS is the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, while the 2016 Arbitral Award is a ruling that stemmed from the Philippines taking China to court. According to the ruling, Beijing’s sweeping claim of the South China Sea, including parts of the West Philippine Sea, is invalid.
China has refused to recognize the ruling and has insisted that Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal, a feature located just over 100 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan, is theirs.
“China’s continued interference with the Philippines’ routine and lawful activities in its own exclusive economic zone is unacceptable. It infringes upon the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction.The Philippines demands that Chinese vessels leave the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal and the Philippine exclusive economic zone immediately,” said Daza.
The DFA spokesperson added: “The Philippines urges China to take the correct track of abiding by international law and respecting the legitimate rights of other states like the Philippines, and to cease and desist from its continued violation of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award.”
In a separate statement released also on Monday, the DFA said that aside from the summon in Manila and the demarche in Beijing, Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro also spoke to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong to relay Manila’s “strongest protest against the aggressive actions undertaken by the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia” during the resupply mission.
According to the DFA, the Philippines has lodged 14 protests against China in 2024 alone as of March 25. Since Marcos came into power, the Philippines has lodged 147 protests or notes verbales against China.
During the March 23 mission, Philippine vessels – the Unaizah May 4 and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)’s BRP Cabra – were subjected to dangerous maneuvers and blocking attempts by Chinese ships. At one point, a CCG ship sailed in reverse in one attempt to block the Unaizah May 4.
While the wooden ship was unable to make it to the Sierra Madre itself, the Philippines was still able to bring soldiers and “essential supplies” to its makeshift outpost through rubber boats. This is the second time in March 2024 alone that China used water cannons in an attempt to stop the Philippines from its mission to Ayungin.
In early March, the Unaizah May 4’s windshield was shattered from the impact of two CCG water cannons.
Previous resupply missions have been just as fraught. Aside from dangerous maneuvers, shadowing, and water cannon use, collisions have occurred between China and the Philippines in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal.
On March 23, hours after the mission, China’s foreign ministry told the Philippines that it “should be prepared to bear all potential consequences” if it “insists on going its own way” in the South China Sea. Foreign governments issued statements in support of the Philippines, calling out China for its “dangerous” behavior at sea.
Under the Marcos administration, Manila has taken a stronger stance on China’s encroachment of the West Philippine Sea. China has bristled over the government’s approach, berating both Manila and its allies – the United States, especially – of supposedly “stirring up trouble” in the South China Sea.
The March 23 resupply took place just days after Washington announced that US President Joe Biden would be hosting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in the White House for the first-ever US-Japan-PH summit. – Rappler.com
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China’s true intent in dialogue and diplomacy at the bilateral and multilateral levels is just for show. But its dark intent is shown by its “aggressive actions.” Should the Philippine Government keep asking about China’s sincerity? Are not the latter’s actions enough to show its insincerity?
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Emotional Bella Belen gushes as team-wide NU effort pays off over once-unbeaten UST | jisaga0269 | 24/03/2024 22:31 | PACING ON TOP. NU spiker Bella Belen reacts in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament
UAAP Season 86 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – Not all streaks in sports are meant to last, and there will always be that one team that gets the better of the other no matter how good each side is.
On Sunday, March 24, the UST Golden Tigresses finally met their match amid a historic 8-0 start in UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball after fellow contender NU Lady Bulldogs played to their strengths in a four-set win, 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-20, at a packed Araneta Coliseum.
Despite UST’s best efforts, NU was just on another level in the blockbuster showdown, as it powered down a staggering 13 aces and 10 blocks compared to 2 and 4, respectively, from the other side.
On the stat sheet and from the eye test, the Lady Bulldogs were simply the better team, and no one was happier for the win than former MVP Bella Belen, who was caught on camera with happy tears while singing the school hymn.
“Starting from training, we already set a goal with what we wanted to happen against UST, and we didn’t want a repeat of what happened against La Salle, where after the game, we had what ifs, we had regrets,” she said in Filipino.
“Our mindset this game, we shouldn’t have what ifs. We need to give our best and there, we were all emotional after the game because we really saw the fruits of our best efforts,” continued Belen, who stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points, 13 excellent digs, and 10 excellent receptions.
The third-year star, however, was not alone, as reliable hitters Vange Alinsug and Alyssa Solomon added 18 and 17 points, respectively. Middle blockers Chammy Maaya and captain Erin Pangilinan each scored 8, while libero Shaira Jardio rounded out with 23 excellent receptions and 10 excellent digs.
“Our team now that once lost to UST has clearer goals compared to the first round,” Belen continued. “Back then, we could see that our movements weren’t as one.”
“Now our goals are clearer in a way that no matter what we do, no matter what is asked of us, we just accept everything, so that when the games come, we no longer have a hard time.” – Rappler.com
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Security heightened for Degamo family after Teves’ arrest in Timor-Leste | Herbie G | 25/03/2024 9:53 | Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo attends the senate public inquiry on the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and other political assassinations in various areas of the country, on April 17, 2023.
Angie de Silva/Rappler
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Police stepped up security for the family of assassinated Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo following the arrest of former congressman and suspected mastermind Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. in Timor-Leste, on Thursday, March 21.
Philippine National Police-Negros Oriental director Colonel Ronan Claravall said on Sunday, March 24, that the threat against the late governor’s widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, and her family was “still high” especially after Teves’ arrest in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste.
Claravall said police would not lower their guard, especially when Teves is brought back to the Philippines to be tried for the March 4, 2023 killing of Degamo and several others during a daring broad daylight attack on the then-governor’s residential compound. Over a dozen others were hurt in the attack by a heavily armed group linked to Teves.
On Facebook, Janice said she and her family still fear for their lives a year after her husband’s assassination, citing incidents when they saw drones hovering over their residential property Barangay 9, Poblacion, Pamplona town.
She said they suspected that they were being subjected to surveillance, stopping short of naming Teves’ camp as behind it.
Claravall has assured the Degamos that their security would not be compromised even as he directed Pamplona town police chief Major Mavie Bulay-og to give the family’s safety utmost priority.
Janice called Teves’ arrest a “welcome development” in their quest for justice.
“It’s a victory for justice, for truth, for each and every NegOrense; a dream come true for us families of the Pamplona massacre victims and a big leap for our quest for justice and peace,” she said.
Janice said she wanted Teves brought back to the country the soonest to face all the criminal charges labeled against him.
“That’s what we’re expecting – to see Teves behind bars. I really want to go there and see him being put in jail,” she said.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson welcomed Teves’ arrest, saying it would give the former congressman the chance to defend himself in court.
“His arrest will give him a chance to answer and defend himself and, likewise, a lesson to ponder that he can run but cannot hide all the time,” Lacson said.
Teves, who was expelled from the House of Representatives and designated a terrorist in August 2023, was caught at the Top Golf Driving Range and Bar in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste.
The former congressman, who was placed under the International Criminal Police Organization’s red notice in February, was playing golf when agents of Interpol, Timor-Leste’s National Central Bureau (NCB), and East Timorese Police (ETP) pounced on him, according to a report from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO). – Rappler.com
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Perez says Bolick just as deserving for PBA All-Star Game MVP award | delfin.dioquino editor | 25/03/2024 0:30 | DRIVE. CJ Perez in action for Team Mark in the 2024 PBA All-Star Game.
PBA Images
BACOLOD, Philippines – CJ Perez could have easily won his first PBA All-Star Game MVP plum, but he does not mind losing the award to Robert Bolick.
Perez said Bolick deserved the honor just as much as the two talented guards took turns in helping Team Mark salvage a thrilling 140-140 tie with Team Japeth in the All-Star Game at the University of St. La Salle gym here on Sunday, March 24.
Bolick emerged the surprise MVP for Team Mark thanks to his late heroics, which saw him end the game on a personal 9-0 run, including the spectacular five-point play that forged just the third draw in All-Star Game history.
“This is the All-Star Game, anybody can win MVP,” said Perez. “And Berto deserved it. If he did not make it, it would not end in a tie.”
Perez dominated with a game-high 39 points as he almost singlehandedly brought Team Mark back into the game after Team Japeth raced to a 46-20 first-quarter lead by taking advantage of the four-point line.
For the second straight year, the PBA incorporated a four-point line and made dunks worth 3 points for the All-Star Game.
Perez flaunted his range, draining 6 four-pointers and erupting for 28 points in the second period alone to clinch the record for most points in a quarter since the All-Star Game got institutionalized in 1989.
By the time the first half ended, Team Mark already trimmed its deficit to 79-68, paving the way for a nip-and-tuck battle in the last two periods.
While Perez thrived, Bolick struggled early, scoring just 3 points through the first three quarters.
But Bolick found his groove just in the nick of time as he scattered 10 points in the final frame, including back-to-back four-pointers inside the final minute and the game-tying foul shot that completed his five-point play, sending the fans in attendance to a frenzy.
For Perez, he is just glad that both teams put on an enthralling show that the people of Bacolod deserved.
“Our competitive nature showed. It would be embarrassing if we were blown out. It would no longer be fun,” said Perez.
Bolick shared the All-Star Game plum with Japeth Aguilar, who won the award for the second time. – Rappler.com
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Tough love: La Salle captain Coronel takes De Jesus criticism in stride amid steady rise | jisaga0269 | 24/03/2024 15:21 | FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. La Salle head coach Ramil de Jesus, setter Julia Coronel (9) and blocker Amie Provido react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament
UAAP Season 86 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – Being a team captain in sports is oftentimes a thankless job, much less so on feared powerhouse squads with lofty title-or-bust standards.
Such is the case for La Salle setter Julia Coronel, who is now not only tasked to lead the Lady Spikers’ title defense in UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball, but also acts as an extension of head coach Ramil de Jesus on the taraflex.
As such, she has often bore the brunt of the coaching staff’s constructive criticism, with De Jesus setting social media abuzz with entire timeouts dedicated solely to point out Coronel’s mistakes.
The fifth-year veteran, however, is keeping stone-faced under the coaches’ spotlight, bravely rising to the challenge of improving her skill set with each passing game.
“On their tough love, I think I’ve gotten used to it in a way, and I think it’s good for all of us,” Coronel said in Filipino after La Salle routed FEU, 25-19, 25-21, 25-18, on Saturday, March 23. “The more they are tough on us, the more it means that they still want to see more from us, and they want to push us more.”
“So us as players, we just absorb everything because the more the coaches talk to us, that means they want to see us improve. If they go silent, that either means you’re a hopeless case or you’re already playing well,” she continued after tallying 16 excellent sets against the Lady Tamaraws.
Assistant coach Noel Orcullo validated Coronel’s rise, praising her steady improvement as a byproduct of their constant guidance.
“Her growth is there. She has a string of good performances. Hopefully, she sustains it,” he said in Filipino. “We see it in every training, every game, she keeps on improving. Hopefully, we sustain it until the end of the tournament and she keeps on adding and elevating her great performances.”
Coronel, intent on making the most of her final playing year, is just relishing every ounce of experience she can get moving forward, even if it means her coaches grilling her more for her own benefit.
“I guess what I’m drawing strength from are my past experiences. This is my fifth playing year now and I’ve always been the second setter. My coaches tell me now, this is it, this is my opportunity. So either I grab it or let it go,” she continued.
“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, so this is always my source of motivation every time I’m on the court, even though it means going through more difficult times.” – Rappler.com
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After Ayungin harassment, China tells PH: Prepare ‘to bear all potential consequences’ | Jairo Bolledo | 23/03/2024 21:17 | INCIDENT. Chinese ships encircle a Philippine Coast Guard ship on March 23, 2024.
Philippine Coast Guard
MANILA, Philippines – Beijing on Saturday, March 23, warned Manila that it “should be prepared to bear all potential consequences” if it “insists on going its own way,” just hours after China Coast Guard (CCG) ships blocked, harassed, and used water cannons against Philippine vessels trying to bring personnel and supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.
The Sierra Madre, a World War II ship purposefully run aground in 1999, serves as a military outpost in Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal. It is located some 120 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan, which means it is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, referred to as the West Philippine Sea.
China claims practically all of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, in defiance of a 2016 arbitral ruling that deemed its claim invalid.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson said the Philippines “[intruded] into the adjacent waters of Ren’ai Jiao of China’s Nansha Qundao” – their names for Ayungin Shoal and the Spratlys.
“China Coast Guard took necessary measures at sea to safeguard our rights, firmly obstructed the Philippines’ vessels, and foiled the Philippines’ attempt,” the ministry spokesperson said in a statement for media.
By “firmly obstructed,” Beijing was referring to the use of dangerous maneuvers at sea, including at least one instance where a CCG ship sailed in reverse in an attempt to block the Unaizah May 4, a civilian ship that the Navy uses to bring supplies and troops to the BRP Sierra Madre. CCG vessels also used water cannons against the Unaizah May 4, the same wooden vessel it damaged during a resupply mission earlier in March.
The Philippines’ National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said China’s use of water cannons caused “severe damage to the vessel and injuries to Filipinos onboard.”
China, however, did not exactly “foil” the Philippine mission. Although the resupply ship was damaged, troops and essential supplies still made it to the BRP Sierra Madre after rigid-hulled inflatable boats were deployed by the grounded Navy ship.
“Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters, including Ren’ai Jiao, have always been China’s territory. This is established in the long course of history, and complies with international law,” said the Chinese foreign ministry.
“The Philippines should immediately stop its infringement and provocation and refrain from undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea. If the Philippines insists on going its own way, China will continue to adopt resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. The Philippines should be prepared to bear all potential consequences,” it added.
In an earlier statement, the CCG’s spokesperson Gan Yu also warned the Philippines against “playing with fire.”
“We warn the Philippines that playing with fire is an invitation of disgrace, and the China Coast Guard is ready at all times to defend the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” the CCG’s spokesperson had said.
Several countries and blocs – including Manila’s treaty ally United States, as well as Japan, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Australia, among others – expressed concern over what was only the latest harassment of Philippine ships at the hands of the Chinese.
In a statement issued after the mission had wrapped up, the NTF-WPS slammed China for its “latest acts of unprovoked aggression, coercion, and dangerous maneuvers against a legitimate and routine Philippine RORE (rotation and resupply) mission to Ayungin Shoal.”
“The systematic and consistent manner in which the PRC continues to carry out these illegal and irresponsible actions belies its hollow claims to peace, dialogue, and adherence to international law,” the task force added.
The NTF-WPS said National Security Adviser Eduardo Año wants to convene a meeting with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and the National Security Cluster “for purposes of making recommendations to the President.”
“The actions of the agents of the PRC today in the waters of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) show to the Filipino people, the region, and the world that the PRC recognizes no reasonable or legal restraint nor limitation upon its actions under international law. The Philippines shall continue to act peacefully and responsibly, consistent with international law, particularly UNCLOS and the legally binding 2016 Arbitral Award,” the task force, composed of representatives from different Philippine government agencies, said.
“The Philippines will not be deterred – by veiled threats or hostility – from exercising our legal rights over our maritime zones, including Ayungin Shoal, which forms part of our EEZ and continental shelf. We demand that China demonstrate in deeds and not in words that it is a responsible and trustworthy member of the international community,” it added.
In a statement on Monday, March 25, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said the department “remains committed to take all appropriate diplomatic actions to protest the violation of the Philippine sovereign rights and jurisdiction and violations of international law, particularly UNCLOS.” – Rappler.com
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Shot to remember: Bolick completes 5-point play as Bacolod All-Star Game ends in draw | delfin.dioquino editor | 24/03/2024 22:59 | BIG SHOT. Robert Bolick in action for Team Mark in the 2024 PBA All-Star Game.
PBA Images
BACOLOD, Philippines – You can never really count Robert Bolick out when it comes to winning plays.
Shaking off his early struggles, Bolick hit one of the biggest shots in PBA All-Star Game history to help Team Mark force a 140-140 tie with Team Japeth at the jam-packed University of St. La Salle gym here on Sunday, March 24.
Bolick completed a five-point play with under 20 seconds left as Team Mark came back from a 32-point hole to salvage a draw for a rousing end to the All-Star Weekend that returned to the City of Smiles for the first time since 2008.
The leading scorer in the Philippine Cup, the NLEX guard fired blanks throughout the first three periods, tallying just 3 points going into the final quarter and passing up on shots he normally makes in the PBA out of frustration.
But Bolick caught fire when Team Mark needed him the most, scattering 10 points in the fourth frame, including the last 9 points as he cashed in on back-to-back four-point buckets and the game-tying free throw.
Just like the All-Star Game last year, the PBA implemented a four-point line and rewarded slam dunks with 3 points.
That gimmick worked in favor of Bolick, who let it fly from near the half-court line, fished a foul off Calvin Oftana, then calmly sank the bonus shot, much to the delight of the Bacolodnons who came to watch a competitive game.
Bolick finished with 13 points as he emerged the surprise All-Star Game MVP, sharing the honors with Japeth Aguilar, who netted 21 points.
“I told my teammates that I might not be built for the All-Star Game,” said Bolick in Filipino. “I was having a bad game. Even last year, I was struggling to make shots. It is just probably the will of the Lord.”
The game marked just the third time in PBA history that the All-Star Game ended in a tie, with the last one happening in 2017 when Gilas Pilipinas and the Mindanao All-Stars settled for a 114-114 draw.
According to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon, the 2008 edition in Bacolod should have been the first All-Star Game to end in a draw as the North and South All-Stars figured in a 149-149 tie through four quarters.
But the PBA granted then the Bacolodnons’ wish for an overtime, allowing the South All-Stars led by MVP Peter June Simon to hack out a 163-158 win.
Although there was no extension this time around, it did not take away the beauty of the game, with both teams consciously playing defense and putting in an effort to win.
In fact, the five-point play would not have happened if not for a stellar defensive job by first-time All-Star Cliff Hodge, who stole a pass from Roger Pogoy and assisted Bolick.
CJ Perez led all scorers with 39 points as he brought Team Mark back into the game after Team Japeth mounted a 46-20 first-quarter lead behind 7 four-pointers courtesy of Paul Lee, Jamie Malonzo, and Roger Pogoy.
Perez sank 6 four-pointers in the second frame alone and finished the period with 28 points, the all-time most points in a quarter since the All-Star Game was institutionalized in 1989.
Team Mark 140 – Perez 39, Barroca 20, Abueva 18, Fajardo 17, Rivero 15, Bolick 13, Perkins 9, Tiongson 3, Jalalon 2, Hodge 2, Sangalang 2, Norwood 0, Castro 0, Yap 0, Pinto 0.
Team Japeth 140 – Pogoy 25, Lassiter 24, Aguilar 21, Malonzo 17, Tolentino 13, Romeo 11, Lee 9, Newsome 7, Oftana 7, Trollano 2, Pringle 2, Dionisio 2, Ahanmisi 0.
Quarters: 20-46, 68-79, 104-111, 140-140.
– Rappler.com
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Results, team standings: UAAP Season 86 volleyball | Jasmine Payo | 5/5/2024 21:02 | ROARING. NU's Bella Belen (left) and Alyssa Solomon react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball finals
UAAP Season 86 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – The UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments reach a tipping point with the men’s and women’s finals!
LOOK: UAAP volleyball championship schedule
Here are the results in the men’s and women’s divisions:
MAY 15
May 11
MAY 8
MAY 5
MAY 4
MAY 8
MAY 5
MAY 4
** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated
APRIL 27
APRIL 24
APRIL 21
APRIL 20
APRIL 17
APRIL 14
APRIL 13
APRIL 10
APRIL 9
APRIL 4
APRIL 3
MARCH 24
MARCH 23
MARCH 20
First round
MARCH 17
MARCH 16
MARCH 13
MARCH 10
MARCH 9
MARCH 6
MARCH 3
MARCH 2
FEBRUARY 28
FEBRUARY 25
FEBRUARY 24
FEBRUARY 21
FEBRUARY 18
FEBRUARY 17
** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated
APRIL 27
APRIL 24
APRIL 21
APRIL 20
APRIL 17
APRIL 14
APRIL 13
APRIL 10
APRIL 9
APRIL 4
APRIL 3
MARCH 24
MARCH 23
MARCH 20
First round
MARCH 17
MARCH 16
MARCH 13
MARCH 10
MARCH 9
MARCH 6
MARCH 3
MARCH 2
FEBRUARY 28
FEBRUARY 25
FEBRUARY 24
FEBRUARY 21
FEBRUARY 18
FEBRUARY 17
– Rappler.com
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The Filipina ballerina: Anya Alindada on her journey in the international ballet scene | Ysa Abad | 24/03/2024 18:15 | Photos of Anya Alindada taken by @ballerinaprojectuk (left) and @deanbarucija (right).
When asked what it was about ballet that made her fall in love with it at four years old, Anya Nicole Alindada said it was “a bit of everything.”
“The costumes, the music, the pirouetting and jetéing across the stage, and the fact that they were able to stand on the tips of their toes. I loved that they were able to tell a story through dance, and I wanted to do that, too,” she told Rappler in an interview.
Anya recalled in a blog post that she had already wanted to do the more advanced barre exercises even as a four-year-old. It even reached the point that she quit looking for a ballet school in Metro Manila because she felt like the lessons were too basic, or her teachers too grumpy.
It wasn’t until when she was seven and watching a flamenco performance at Julie Borromeo’s Performing Arts Foundation that Anya felt like pursuing dance again. While she enjoyed the flamenco lessons, she was advised by a teacher to take ballet lessons to fix her turnout and feet. Anya said that she was initially against this given her past experiences, but after she gave in, Anya fell harder for ballet the second time around.
“I think I just really enjoyed being on the stage and performing for an audience. Every time I stepped on a stage, it felt like I belonged there. Not dancing was never an option I saw growing up, and maybe that’s when I knew that dancing was what I wanted my life to be,” she said.
Growing up, Anya had been homeschooled. “My parents and I didn’t know it at the time, but it was one of the things that helped me pursue my dream,” she said. She would often bring her school work with her to dance studios. And while there were times that she would wonder what it was like going to regular school, she thought that she wasn’t really missing out on much since she also had friends from dance studios and homeschooling groups.
From the ages of seven to 14, Anya studied all different forms of dance — jazz, tap, flamenco, hip-hop, musical theater, and even hula — at Julie Borromeo’s. Her ballet lessons were four sessions a week, each around 1.5 hours.
“I can’t remember the exact reason why I chose to pursue ballet professionally. But I remember always asking my parents for more lessons. I wanted to be in the studio as much as I could, and after class would finish, I always felt that I wanted more,” she told Rappler.
In August 2019, she purposely selected the Japan Grand Prix to be her first competition abroad. There, they got to attend a five-day masterclass by the artistic directors of the best US and European ballet schools. It was there that Anya realized how advanced the international ballet industry was.
She returned to the Philippines unsure of how she could move forward. “I prayed and asked for God’s help because I could not get the equivalent level of training that I needed in the Philippines,” she said.
Luckily, her mom saw a post about a three-day European Masters Intensive that was being held at the Melbourne Academy of the Arts (MAARTS) in Australia in October 2019. MAARTS Artistic Directress Jamina Stefkovski would soon offer her a scholarship for their Full-Time Training program.
Since her parents knew how much she wanted to pursue advanced ballet, Anya was allowed to move to Melbourne on her own at the age of 15.
“Being exposed to ballet outside the Philippines was very eye-opening. After seeing all the extremely talented Japanese dancers, some as young as 10, I realized that I was far behind in terms of skill,” Anya said. She also recalled that while she was told that she had potential when she was offered a spot in MAARTS, she knew that she still “had a lot of work to do to get where [she] wanted to be.”
In MAARTS, she spent one and a half years training for international online competitions and auditioning for top schools around the world. She was accepted into summer programs at the Paris Opera, Houston Ballet, and American Ballet Theater, and won awards at select competitions, including the Italian competition Salieri Danza where she was given the opportunity to skip the first round of auditions and go straight to the final round for the English National Ballet School’s (ENBS) three-year full-time course.
After submitting her final audition there, Anya soon learned that she had been hand-picked to join by ENBS Directress and Principal Dancer of the Royal Ballet Company Viviana Durante. The Filipina teen was one of only 30 students accepted to the program.
The good news kept pouring as she was also accelerated into the second year of the three-year program, and was granted 80% of each year’s tuition (£19,000 or P1.35 million) for free. She was the first ballerina from the Philippines who qualified for this opportunity in ENBS’ 35-year history.
In July 2023, Anya graduated from ENBS at the age of 19.
It’s been four years since Anya left the Philippines but she admits that there are still instances where everything feels surreal to her.
“I think my entire experience as a whole has just been unbelievable. I believe God was the one who opened up all these amazing doors for me because I had truly no idea at the time how I would be able to achieve my dreams of studying abroad,” she told Rappler.
While she acknowledges that the local scene has significantly improved compared to when she was younger, Anya shared that she still thinks ballet is a very underappreciated art form in the Philippines.
“Growing up, and even up to now, I don’t think any schools in the Philippines offer full-time ballet training like I received abroad,” she said. “I didn’t even know that dancing all day every day was a thing. In London, kids from a young age who already know they want to dance have that option and opportunity to do so. With the training I received abroad, I would get around five to six hours a day, six days a week.”
She also added that being exposed to international practices could help widen an artist’s craft. “I think in order to grow as a dancer, one has to be exposed to as many different teachers and styles of teaching as one can. It’s being able to learn and adapt to whatever the teacher/choreographer wants that makes a good dancer,” she said.
While many Filipino ballet dancers dream of furthering their craft by attending international schools, Anya noted that the Philippines is also lacking in a clear pathway to pursuing studies abroad.
She recognized as well that ballet can be seen as something very expensive. It was fortunate that in her previous school in the Philippines, many scholars had been given the chance to train for free. And when she started exploring the international ballet scene, grants and scholarships were also of big help to her.
“There have only been a handful of Filipinos in my generation that have made it abroad, and when I had wanted to do the same, I had no one I knew that I could look to for help or advice. But hopefully, through my journey, other Filipinos can see that it is possible. I am so grateful and honored to have been the first Filipina to graduate from ENBS, but I also truly hope I won’t be the last,” she said.
Anya’s journey, though, has also had its fair share of challenges. In November 2022, she was first diagnosed with bone stress in her shins. Because of this, she had to lessen her participation in auditions as she had to rest. She also missed the opportunity to join the English National Ballet company in their 22/23 and 23/24 Nutcracker seasons as she had a shin fracture in her left shin. Despite being devastated that she missed the opportunity, Anya said she was determined to let her shin recover fully instead.
“The ballet world is a very unpredictable one,” Anya said about the whole ordeal. She would like to stay in London for the next two to three years, but it would primarily depend on getting a job. “[I hope] to find a company that I love, dance as much as I can, and hopefully rise through the ranks,” she said, noting that just like every other dancer, she also dreams of being awarded the position of Principal Dancer.
When asked if she would like to return to the Philippines, Anya said that she would like to explore her career options first abroad. “But I am open to the idea of visiting every once in a while to perform if I were to be invited. Ultimately, at the end of my career, I do want to return home and create a school that can offer the training I received abroad to other aspiring Filipino dancers who want to make this their life as I did,” she said.
As for her advice to aspiring Filipino dancers, Anya said that they should “not be afraid and to have faith.”
“If ballet is something you truly want to do, first of all, don’t be afraid to admit it. Second, don’t be afraid to do whatever it takes to achieve it,” she added. – Rappler.com
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COA orders PH Heart Center to settle suppliers’ claims worth P20 million | Dwight de Leon | 25/03/2024 8:00 | HEART CENTER. The entrance of the Philippine Heart Center.
Philippine Heart Center Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Audit (COA) told the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) it should pay two suppliers a combined amount of more than P20 million for the services they rendered.
Separate decisions from the COA en banc said that even without a formal contract, Lifelink, Inc. and RG Meditron, Inc. are entitled to payments for delivering various medical supplies to PHC on a consignment basis.
Under the consignment scheme between Lifelink and PHC from 2017 to 2020, the private company sent items to the state-run hospital, which in turn sold the goods at a 10% markup. The arrangement was for PHC to remit the proceeds of the sale to Lifelink, minus the 10% margin.
In its petition, Lifelink said PHC did not remit the proceeds of the sale to Lifelink, even though the government facility sold products worth P10.27 million, based on sales invoices, delivery receipts, utilization reports, justifications and affidavit of merit signed by doctors.
Meditron, meanwhile, delivered vascular products and pacemakers to the hospital for standby use, from 2017 to 2021.
After a patient uses an item, the hospital notifies the supplier, which subsequently issues a sales invoice that is countersigned by the PHC. Meditron then issues a billing notice to PHC, requesting that the payment be released.
The company, however, said PHC did not settle its claims worth P9.936 million despite written demands.
In separate decisions, state auditors ruled that the state-run hospital is obligated to pay its suppliers.
The challenge in both cases is calculating the amount that the hospital owes the suppliers. This is because the money was co-mingled with the PHC’s General Fund, and not specified in a separate account book.
The COA, however, insisted that these roadblocks do not invalidate the consignors’ claim.
“Although the deliveries were not supported with a valid and existing [consignment agreement], this Commission finds that Meditron should be compensated for the delivered items utilized and paid for by PHC patients,” the first ruling read.
“To avoid unjust enrichment, Lifelink should be compensated based on the principle of quantum meruit,” the second resolution added.
The said principle – which means “as much as he deserves” – is applied in the absence of an express agreement on fees, according to the Supreme Court. This allows a person or an entity to recover a reasonable value of the thing he delivered or the service he rendered. – Rappler.com
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I appreciate COA’s action in ruling that the state-run hospital (Philippine Heart Center) is obligated to pay its suppliers. Why were there no “valid and existing [consignment agreement] contracts” between the PHC and its suppliers? Why did it take so long to settle this? Is there an official at the PHC who benefited from this?
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Boracay rounds up stray dogs ahead of Holy Week tourist rush | Ralf Rivas | 24/03/2024 22:20 | DOG POUND. Dogs impounded by the dog catchers in Boracay.
Animal Lovers of Boracay
AKLAN, Philippines – Boracay Island authorities conducted a series of dog impoundments in anticipation of the influx of tourists this Holy Week.
Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista told Rappler that the Malay Agriculture Office ensured the local ordinance was strictly implemented to ensure environmental sustainability.
According to the reports of the Department of Health, at least four Aklan residents died of rabies in 2022.
The Malay Council Ordinance No. 92 states that “no animal is allowed to roam freely in the beaches and other public places in Boracay and if found roaming, the stray animals should be caught, impounded or disposed of by the authorized agents, or the barangay.”
Livino Duran, the regional executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Western Visayas earlier said that they now are empowering the local government of Malay to ensure environmental sustainability of this resort island.
“On April 2, we will be meeting with the local government and the stakeholders in Boracay about the environmental challenges faced by this resort island. We want the LGU to take the lead in environmental conservation to align themselves with the promotion of Boracay as a premier tourism destination,” he added.
Aside from threats of rabies, stray dogs also tend to litter at the beach and at times scatter plastics left behind by some irresponsible tourists.
A group of pet advocates earlier urged tourists to adopt stray dogs or cats.
Once a dog or cat is impounded, owners are given a certain number of days to claim their pets and will be required to pay a penalty of P2,500 each. If not claimed, animals will be killed.
In an interview with the group Animal Lovers of Boracay, they said they rescued eight dogs last February. They conducted crowd funding on social media to help raise funds to pay for the penalty. After the payment, they were returned to their owners.
According to the reports of the Malay Agriculture Office, several cats and dogs have already been subjected to “mercy killing” since 2018 after they were not claimed by their pet owners at a given time.
Last March 17, the said group organized a pet show to generate funds for the stray dogs in Boracay.
“Fortunately, the Municipal Agriculture Office has allowed us to take photos of the newly impounded dogs and post it online for the awareness of those who wanted to adopt them,” the group said. – Rappler.com
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Emotional Bella Belen gushes as team-wide NU effort pays off over once-unbeaten UST | jisaga0269 | 24/03/2024 22:31 | PACING ON TOP. NU spiker Bella Belen reacts in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament
UAAP Season 86 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – Not all streaks in sports are meant to last, and there will always be that one team that gets the better of the other no matter how good each side is.
On Sunday, March 24, the UST Golden Tigresses finally met their match amid a historic 8-0 start in UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball after fellow contender NU Lady Bulldogs played to their strengths in a four-set win, 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-20, at a packed Araneta Coliseum.
Despite UST’s best efforts, NU was just on another level in the blockbuster showdown, as it powered down a staggering 13 aces and 10 blocks compared to 2 and 4, respectively, from the other side.
On the stat sheet and from the eye test, the Lady Bulldogs were simply the better team, and no one was happier for the win than former MVP Bella Belen, who was caught on camera with happy tears while singing the school hymn.
“Starting from training, we already set a goal with what we wanted to happen against UST, and we didn’t want a repeat of what happened against La Salle, where after the game, we had what ifs, we had regrets,” she said in Filipino.
“Our mindset this game, we shouldn’t have what ifs. We need to give our best and there, we were all emotional after the game because we really saw the fruits of our best efforts,” continued Belen, who stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points, 13 excellent digs, and 10 excellent receptions.
The third-year star, however, was not alone, as reliable hitters Vange Alinsug and Alyssa Solomon added 18 and 17 points, respectively. Middle blockers Chammy Maaya and captain Erin Pangilinan each scored 8, while libero Shaira Jardio rounded out with 23 excellent receptions and 10 excellent digs.
“Our team now that once lost to UST has clearer goals compared to the first round,” Belen continued. “Back then, we could see that our movements weren’t as one.”
“Now our goals are clearer in a way that no matter what we do, no matter what is asked of us, we just accept everything, so that when the games come, we no longer have a hard time.” – Rappler.com
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Shot to remember: Bolick completes 5-point play as Bacolod All-Star Game ends in draw | delfin.dioquino editor | 24/03/2024 22:59 | BIG SHOT. Robert Bolick in action for Team Mark in the 2024 PBA All-Star Game.
PBA Images
BACOLOD, Philippines – You can never really count Robert Bolick out when it comes to winning plays.
Shaking off his early struggles, Bolick hit one of the biggest shots in PBA All-Star Game history to help Team Mark force a 140-140 tie with Team Japeth at the jam-packed University of St. La Salle gym here on Sunday, March 24.
Bolick completed a five-point play with under 20 seconds left as Team Mark came back from a 32-point hole to salvage a draw for a rousing end to the All-Star Weekend that returned to the City of Smiles for the first time since 2008.
The leading scorer in the Philippine Cup, the NLEX guard fired blanks throughout the first three periods, tallying just 3 points going into the final quarter and passing up on shots he normally makes in the PBA out of frustration.
But Bolick caught fire when Team Mark needed him the most, scattering 10 points in the fourth frame, including the last 9 points as he cashed in on back-to-back four-point buckets and the game-tying free throw.
Just like the All-Star Game last year, the PBA implemented a four-point line and rewarded slam dunks with 3 points.
That gimmick worked in favor of Bolick, who let it fly from near the half-court line, fished a foul off Calvin Oftana, then calmly sank the bonus shot, much to the delight of the Bacolodnons who came to watch a competitive game.
Bolick finished with 13 points as he emerged the surprise All-Star Game MVP, sharing the honors with Japeth Aguilar, who netted 21 points.
“I told my teammates that I might not be built for the All-Star Game,” said Bolick in Filipino. “I was having a bad game. Even last year, I was struggling to make shots. It is just probably the will of the Lord.”
The game marked just the third time in PBA history that the All-Star Game ended in a tie, with the last one happening in 2017 when Gilas Pilipinas and the Mindanao All-Stars settled for a 114-114 draw.
According to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon, the 2008 edition in Bacolod should have been the first All-Star Game to end in a draw as the North and South All-Stars figured in a 149-149 tie through four quarters.
But the PBA granted then the Bacolodnons’ wish for an overtime, allowing the South All-Stars led by MVP Peter June Simon to hack out a 163-158 win.
Although there was no extension this time around, it did not take away the beauty of the game, with both teams consciously playing defense and putting in an effort to win.
In fact, the five-point play would not have happened if not for a stellar defensive job by first-time All-Star Cliff Hodge, who stole a pass from Roger Pogoy and assisted Bolick.
CJ Perez led all scorers with 39 points as he brought Team Mark back into the game after Team Japeth mounted a 46-20 first-quarter lead behind 7 four-pointers courtesy of Paul Lee, Jamie Malonzo, and Roger Pogoy.
Perez sank 6 four-pointers in the second frame alone and finished the period with 28 points, the all-time most points in a quarter since the All-Star Game was institutionalized in 1989.
Team Mark 140 – Perez 39, Barroca 20, Abueva 18, Fajardo 17, Rivero 15, Bolick 13, Perkins 9, Tiongson 3, Jalalon 2, Hodge 2, Sangalang 2, Norwood 0, Castro 0, Yap 0, Pinto 0.
Team Japeth 140 – Pogoy 25, Lassiter 24, Aguilar 21, Malonzo 17, Tolentino 13, Romeo 11, Lee 9, Newsome 7, Oftana 7, Trollano 2, Pringle 2, Dionisio 2, Ahanmisi 0.
Quarters: 20-46, 68-79, 104-111, 140-140.
– Rappler.com
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Results, team standings: UAAP Season 86 volleyball | Jasmine Payo | 5/5/2024 21:02 | ROARING. NU's Bella Belen (left) and Alyssa Solomon react in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball finals
UAAP Season 86 Media Team
MANILA, Philippines – The UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments reach a tipping point with the men’s and women’s finals!
LOOK: UAAP volleyball championship schedule
Here are the results in the men’s and women’s divisions:
MAY 15
May 11
MAY 8
MAY 5
MAY 4
MAY 8
MAY 5
MAY 4
** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated
APRIL 27
APRIL 24
APRIL 21
APRIL 20
APRIL 17
APRIL 14
APRIL 13
APRIL 10
APRIL 9
APRIL 4
APRIL 3
MARCH 24
MARCH 23
MARCH 20
First round
MARCH 17
MARCH 16
MARCH 13
MARCH 10
MARCH 9
MARCH 6
MARCH 3
MARCH 2
FEBRUARY 28
FEBRUARY 25
FEBRUARY 24
FEBRUARY 21
FEBRUARY 18
FEBRUARY 17
** – Twice-to-beat* – Final Fourx – Eliminated
APRIL 27
APRIL 24
APRIL 21
APRIL 20
APRIL 17
APRIL 14
APRIL 13
APRIL 10
APRIL 9
APRIL 4
APRIL 3
MARCH 24
MARCH 23
MARCH 20
First round
MARCH 17
MARCH 16
MARCH 13
MARCH 10
MARCH 9
MARCH 6
MARCH 3
MARCH 2
FEBRUARY 28
FEBRUARY 25
FEBRUARY 24
FEBRUARY 21
FEBRUARY 18
FEBRUARY 17
– Rappler.com
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